Hey Dad, Let's Talk 2| Hag-ridden by the Future |
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In folklore, a "hag" is a witch-like spirit identical in essence to the Old English "mare." Thus, a hag is a ghost that visits you in the night -- a nightmare. According to legend, the hag visits its sleeping victim by sitting on his chest. How many of us live our daily lives hag-ridden by the future? We either fear the future or long for the future. But in either case, we're immoblized--paralyzed--in the present. ... Screwtape goes on to say, "We want a whole race perpetually in pursuit of the rainbow’s end, never honest, nor kind, nor happy now, but always using as mere fuel wherewith to heap the altar of the future every real gift which is offered them in the Present." " . . . never honest, nor kind, nor happy now . . . " Consider, have you ever been so afraid of what tomorrow (or next month or next year) would bring that you couldn't enjoy a single thing today? Perhaps you brushed off the kids when they asked for a story or wanted a hug, maybe you snapped at your husband when he tried to connect with you. Perhaps your favorite food tasted like grit and you didn't notice the sunshine; let alone the beggar on the corner who could've used a cup of hot coffee. All you could think about was your obsession: the future. " . . . always using as mere fuel wherewith to heap the altar of the future every real gift which is offered them in the Present." Whether it's the fear of tomorrow or the longing for tomorrow, we take the gifts of today (love, companionship, generosity, kindness, gratefulness, the simple pleasures in life) and sacrifice them on the altar of the future. "If I know I'll have money for groceries next week, then I'll enjoy my daily bread;" "Once I live in this house or have this marriage or that success, then I'll be content;" or "Unless I know I'll be healed, I'll sit in misery today;" "What's the point in giving thanks today when tomorrow might bring sorrow?" Like the spoiled boy in the nursery who turns his nose up at the proferred cookie because it isn't cake, we refuse the little joys of today because we don't yet have ____ or because we're afraid of losing ____." When we finally wake up and see the hag on our chest, it's often too late. We'll never get back that cuddletime with our child, that quality time with our spouse or good friend, that delicious meal or warm ray of sunlight. We were so busy thinking about next week's meal or next week's quality time that we received neither. Marriages are lost, relationships are lost, loved ones die, health fails, and we regret that we didn't appreciate these blessings in life while we still had them. We give all we possess to the god of the future while he ties our hands in the present. And in the end, he just laughs in our faces. So, regardless of the uncertainty of the future, we need to live for God today, we must take up our cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23). Today is the day to love your children and your spouse and your friends, today. Tomorrow can wait. It's true, tomorrow may bring great heartache or astounding success, but only the choices we make in the Present will really matter in the end. Deutoronomy 30:19b says, "I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live." If you want to live a life without regret, refuse to be hag-ridden by the future.
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(c) 2011 - Bekah Ferguson Permissions: By all means, you are welcome to reproduce and distribute my articles in excerpts or complete format as long as you don't change any of the wording. If you do reproduce any part of my articles, please include the following information: by Bekah Ferguson, Ontario, Canada. www.bekahferguson.com Licensed under Creative Commons.
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"But we want a man hag-ridden by the Future — haunted by visions of an imminent heaven or hell upon earth . . . " ~ Screwtape ("The Screwtape Letters," C.S. Lewis)