All Day Long

By Michael Coyner

My 2 1/2-year-old grandson, Austin, is fascinated with the days of the week. He is learning some of that in his daycare center, where they sing a song about each day of the week. This has led Austin to want to talk about those days and to be clear that today is Sunday or Thursday or whatever day it might be.

But Austin has added another aspect which he has not learned in daycare, and it is not a part of the days of the week song they sing. He always adds, “All day long.” So if you ask Austin, “What day is today,” he will answer it is Monday – and then he will add “All day long.” If Austin is not sure what today is, he will ask the name of today, and when he hears the answer, he adds, “All day long.”

We are not quite sure why it is so important to him to add “All day long.” He always adds it, and he always adds it after a slight pause, as if for effect. “Today is Monday … all day long.”

Here is my best attempt to interpret “all day long.” I believe Austin’s comments (perhaps unknowingly or perhaps a child can teach us) mean that we are to live FULLY into every day. Little children live fully, play hard, keep going with a whirlwind of energy, and finally drop into a nap or a night of sleep. You don’t have to tell a 2-year-old to live and to enjoy life, but we adults need that reminder.

Today is today – and it is all day long. Life is now. God is present in our lives in every moment if we will notice. All day long. Every moment of every day. Life is meant to be lived, not just endured, worked, or escaped.

As I read and re-read the teachings of Jesus, I find him inviting us to live our lives with trust in God, with care and tenderness for one another, and with hope for the future. Following Jesus is an all-day, every-day journey of discovery. Every day. All day long.

So as I write this E-pistle, I note that it is Monday … all day long. I also note that God is with us this day, and every day … all day long.

Mike Coyner is the retired bishop of the Indiana Area of the United Methodist Church.  Reprinted from INUMC.org.  Image: Pexels.