When did you last stop to appreciate how blessed you are? Taking a quiet moment to listen for the still small voice of the One Who loves you more than you can know? Or have you been stuck in high gear, zipping along struggling to understand the "big picture" while the blessings in the details blur by your peripheral awareness?

Among my favorite movies is a campy sci-fi comedy called The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the 8th Dimension. Made in 1984, the movie’s stars include notables such as John Lithgow, Jeff Goldblum, Ellen Barkin, and Christopher Lloyd. In the opening scene, Buckaroo transitions from completing brain surgery to test-driving a jet car in the desert--driving it through a mountain! It’s a hoot of a movie.

While introducing Buckaroo Banzai to some friends some years ago, I watched how they struggled to determine the plot. There is a one, but it’s not necessarily the point of the movie. What’s fun are the moments -- what’s happening -- as well as the quirkiness of the characters.

My friends struggled, asking repeatedly, "Why is this happening? What’s the point?" and missed much of the fun of the movie. My advice, if you watch it, is to relax and enjoy the details in the scenery, the stray puns in the dialog, and the visual antics. Once it’s over, with a little reflection, the plot emerges and a fuller appreciation of the movie is gained.

So it is with our lives. We’re always looking for the plot. The big picture. We want to know and understand what’s going to happen tomorrow and why. We want the full from-now-to-eternity plan. As a result, we miss the moments. We miss the Lord speaking to us in the living of this day right now.

Planning our future and anticipating the possibilities of tomorrow can be a good thing. But not if this becomes our sole focus. The Lord told us to seek His kingdom first. How often do we really do that?

Don’t we rather check-off the to-do lists, fret and sweat the tiniest details before finally coming into His presence for a five-minute devotional? And all the time we’re devoting, our minds are actually scattered amok over all we feel is still left undone. This isn’t exactly what the Lord had in mind.

How much better to just rest in Him throughout each day and not being caught up and driven by trying to plan or understand or figure out the full arc of our lives. Enjoying each moment. Savoring the details of the now He has provided. Paying attention to the Holy Spirit who is ever-present, ever-speaking. Leading. Guiding. Moment-by-precious-moment.

What’s He whispering to your heart right now? Can you hear it?

Jesus told us, "First and foremost seek My kingdom and then the rest will come. Enjoy the moments of My presence. Don’t be afraid, for your Father has gladly given you the entire Kingdom. What more do you need!"*

What more, indeed.

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*Adapted from Matthew.