You wake up on a lovely spring morning. The sun is rising, the birds are chirping and a day full of activities is awaiting your attention. Not only do you need to concern yourself with a day full of things to accomplish, you also have a set of standards to live by. You are a Christian.
Each morning you wake up with the opportunity to live life as a Christian what day does it feel like to you? Is it like April 15th, that dreaded tax day? That day that you must surrender service and payment to an entity that you feel robs you of fun and enjoyment. The day you have to work so hard to just get done what you don’t want to do.
Or is it like December 25th. A day that comes with long awaited anticipation. A day that is full of excitement for all the wonderful opportunities it brings to you. Just the presence of December 25th lets you enjoy giving and receiving gifts, spending time with family, feasting on delicious food and a feeling of happiness all day. This is a day you are excited to wake up to, certainly the opposite of April 15th.
When you consider your mental approach to each day you live as a Christian, what is your appraisal of yourself? April 15th, a day you dread or December 25th, a day you anticipate with excitement? April 15th, a day that requires you to do things you don’t want to do and pay things you don’t want to pay, or December 25th, a day full of sharing, giving and loving.
Jesus said to His disciples that He was leaving them an overflowing amount of peace (Jn. 14:27), endless amounts of joy (Jn 15:11), and life abundantly (Jn 10:10). Do you have these things or are you missing them? Is today April 15th or December 25th?