There are many little pieces of scripture that can sometimes speak a message that is gentle and clear. ‘Now is the acceptable time’ is one of those lines that is almost made for this month of January. It is a month that’s not often included as our favourite month of the year. Many are broke after Christmas, the bills all seem to land this month, credit card accounts are creaking from overuse at Christmas and the phrase ‘January Blues’ also holds true for some.

But this month has many positives too. At its heart is new beginnings, freshness, new plans and making positive changes. Already there is a stretch in the evenings and this can now be up to 5.30pm on a clear evening. This is the month that encourages us to do something today, no matter how small.

How often we hear about keeping our feet in the here and now. As we know there are endless distractions in the world we live in today. Many of these distractions are built on shallow foundations. There seems to be less emphasis on the bits and pieces of life that are nourishing, the bits and pieces of life that are good for the soul and on those things in life that uplift, energise and encourage us.

It is getting increasingly more difficult to find what nourishes us. But it is something that we need to find, reclaim and make it our own. From a spiritual point of view, a quick glance at any section of our scripture readings will point to God being present in the here and now. Our lives do not exist in yesterday or in tomorrow.

Now is the only time that has been given to us. Now may not always be the right moment, it may not always be the easiest but it’s all we can work with. We pray for help and guidance to find what is good all around us, to find what nourishes and energises us and to find what works best for us in the here and now. That is why now is the acceptable time and always will be.


Thought For The Week is updated each Monday