3 Ways to Seize the Day!

I recently had the incredible privilege of conducting the wedding of one of my best friends. And as we stood there under a magnificent tree, I wanted to make sure the words I shared with the couple were both profound and personal. I’m not sure if I hit the mark, but here’s the verse I used, and three takeaways I got from it:

 

Seize life! Eat bread with gusto,

Drink wine with a robust heart.

Oh yes – God takes pleasure in your pleasure!

Dress festively every morning. 

Don’t skimp on colours and scarves.

Relish life with the spouse you love

Each and every day of your precarious life.

Each day is God’s gift. It’s all you get in exchange

For the hard work of staying alive. 

Make the most of each one!

Whatever turns up, grab it and do it. And heartily!

- Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 MSG

 

1. Learn to Relish the Small Things

Having recently become a dad, I am constantly amazed by how much pleasure I get from simply watching my son. When he laughs, I laugh – I can’t help myself. And it’s the same with God – not some distant angry god who is waiting for us to mess up – but a Father who takes pleasure in our pleasure. Learning to relish life means learning to seize oppourtunities that come your way. It means making the most of what you have been given. It means finding joy in the smallest of things.

2. Understand Life is Hard

This verse in Ecclesiastes is not naïve or rose-tinted. The writer is under no illusion that life is easy – in fact he says that just staying alive is hard work and that our lives are precarious things! He acknowledges that life has a way of knocking the joy out of us, and that it takes effort and work and planning to live life well. Understanding life isn’t easy prevents us from feeling like victims, and helps us to face our challenges head on.

3. Understand that Each Day is a Gift From God

In my opinion this is really the key to savouring life. Understanding that every day we get here on earth is a precious gift not to be taken for granted. Every breath we take, every moment we get to spend with family and friends, every oppourtunity for travel, every sunrise and sunset – these are free gifts of Grace from God.

And so, may you seize life with gusto, relishing the moments you have with the people you love. May you understand the fragility of life, and treat each day as a true gift from a loving Father.