The years pass more quickly than one could ever imagine. While in the throes of raising children, you cannot imagine ever getting beyond those years. Yet they pass in a flash.

With age and time and experiences one comes to realize there is not much in life worth getting our feathers ruffled over. We come to learn how to navigate through the minutia of daily living.

I’m coming to learn there are three ways we need to live our days so that we are awakened to all that is happening around us each day:

1. We must live open-handed. Have you ever noticed how tightly clenched a newborn baby’s hands are? Then over the passing of days, those tiny fingers slowly uncurl and they learn to hold onto their comfort blankets or small toys. In the midst of losing all he had, Scripture tells us this about Job, “In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God” (Job 1:22, NLT). One may wonder how this is even possible. Job had learned to hold his possessions loosely. They were God’s to give and His to also take. We can enjoy what we have but never let them replace the Giver.
2. We must live open-eyed. There are God given opportunities all around us every day. We can be bearers of the joy and hope we have received. But our eyes must be opened to see the opportunities He places before us. We need His help to see the people.  “Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows” (Isaiah 1:17, NLT).
3. We must live open-eared. We need to have our ears open, in tune to hear what God would say to us. “The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me, and I have listened. I have not rebelled or turned away” (Isaiah 50:5, NLT). We need to hear what others would say to us as well – “Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction” (Proverbs 22:17, NLT). Are we a people who intently listen for His voice?

The way to live a life of God given purpose.
Open-handed.
Open-eyed.
Open-eared.