TGIF – you don’t even have to see the words. Your mind fills in the blanks, “Thank God it’s Friday!” You hear it all the time. We actually begin looking forward to Fridays on Wednesdays; the day we “get over the hump,” telling ourselves it’s downhill from here. Friday is the happy hour of the week, “launch day” for what we really enjoy doing in life. In effect, millions of people put up with the rest of the week to get to Friday and the weekend.

Somehow, the adventure about living was lost along the way. As children we were curious, we loved discovery, we let our imaginations take us away and could build a fort (probably a spaceship today) in the living room and be in another time and place for hours on end.

All the while we heard the speeches about growing up, some of them by adults who had lost their own joy of living. Their personal assignment became making sure we knew life was tough, and we needed to be tough to handle it. Some of us lost our childhood joy because of a traumatic event – abuse, molestation or abandonment. We have suffered through life in silence and internalized the pain and anguish before finding ways to medicate it. As far as medications go: the possibilities are endless.

Jesus talked about the pain of life, the process of losing the joy of living and He identified an enemy who is single minded in his purpose every day of the week. In John 10:10 he declared, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Every day is open for abundance. Every day is open for adventure. Christians, if they really “get it” can thank God every day for the experience of anticipation. The big Bible word for anticipation is hope. Isn’t that what we had as children? Isn’t that what a walk of faith is all about? Isn’t it about hope?

You are unique in the body of Christ and unique with your life experience. Get back to anticipation. Fight and claw your way back toward hope. Get back to a walk of faith believing God is at work in you and there are people who need you. There are words of life in you, and only you. You are called to share them with someone. This changes everything and puts purpose in perspective. You can have passion and purpose and hope. But only when your life becomes about God and people.

Thank God for Fridays, and every day. You are called to “discovery” and blessings in a world where many can’t wait to cross their days off the calendar, head to a watering hole, watch a few more hours of TV, or sit in front of a computer. They may be alive but they aren’t really living. Don’t settle for less.

Be the light. Release hope. Share the joy. Be adventurous today.

Today’s thought: Life has a subtle way of beating the joy and child-likeness out of us. We stop dreaming, desiring, wanting: we stop living. The Bible never called us “adults” of God. It always calls us “children”. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

Today’s prayer: “God, I want the fun back. I want the adventure of living and loving You. I want to live my life leaning forward in a heart racing expectancy of the next moment with You. Bring back the joy of my youth. Help me to dream again. God…Let’s have some fun!”

What is God saying to you?

Marc Owings & David Terry

Written by: Marc Owings on August 23rd, 2010
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