Seize the Day!

For all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours' and you are Christ's; and Christ is God's.  -- 1 Corinthians 3:22-24 (ASV)

"All things are yours," or all things are in your grasp, or under your control.  The wording is reminiscent of Romans 8:38, but while the Romans verse is about not getting separated from God, this is about the possession of all things through Christ.  I quoted this to my daughter going out the door this morning and I said, "You know what that means don't you?  SEIZE THE DAY!!"

I have to confess to being possessed by anxiety; yes, as in what almost feels like demon-possession.  It frequently strikes very early in the morning and, irritatingly, it seems to fly in and startle me awake.  I'm batting about .300 with this dragon.  Some mornings it can be suppressed through mindful breathing and prayer, and I can get back to sleep.  But, most mornings I have to give up and get on with my day.  I get quite discouraged about it at times, especially when it leaves me with only three or four hours of sleep.  These verses put a new spin on it all.

Anxiety arises out of feeling helpless, or that some thing(s) are out of your control.  Anxiety is frequently the disease of "what ifs?"  If the "what if's" are pursued and dwelt upon enough, the anxiety can become panic.  But in anxiety disorders, it IS mainly one's active imagination that puts one in an anxious state.  Thoughts, we must remember, do not equal reality.  What we have here in 1 Corinthians is not our imagination but a scriptural promise.  Rather than running 40 yards down an imaginary slippery road to an imaginary colossal failure to an imaginary end of the world, why not stop it in the first six inches with Paul's words: "Everything is yours...because you are Christ's, and Christ is God's."  Everything is yours.  What stands outside of everything?  Nothing at all.  "Everything is yours," close your eyes and say it over and over to yourself until you grasp it.  Everything is yours.  You're Christ's, Christ is God's and together all is yours.  Go seize your day!

Prayer:

O Most High, thank you for putting all things under Christ's feet and for likewise putting all that under our feet as well.  Give us the minute by minute reminder of whose we are and what we have in you and through you and by you.  Amen.