Leap Day is some creative person's solution - many credit Roman Emperor Julius Caesar - to calculating the earth's revolution around the Sun. So, bear with me here, it takes approximately 365.25 days for the earth to revolve around the sun. That .25 adds up to one day every four years. Of course, that is among the simplest of explanations used to explain why February has 29 days every four years.
So why is Leap Day so important? Well, it basically comes down to this; if we didn't have a Leap Day every four years, then basically over a 100 year span we would lose around 24 days, which means eventually Winter would be in the Summer and Spring would be in the Fall. I don't know about you, but where I live, snow in July and colored leaves in March would be very strange sites to behold.
I guess because it does happen only every four years, Leap Day can be rather exciting to some - especially those born on February 29th - and certainly a topic of conversation as the day approaches. Recently, I signed up for a new Bible app and shortly after doing so I received an e-mail from the App asking, "What are you going to do with your extra day?", referring to February 29th which was quickly approaching. At first I thought to answer the question, not for them, but rather for my internal reflection. However, as I tried to come up with an answer, it occurred to me that February 29th was not an extra day for me, at least not in God's eyes - and really, what better eyes are there?
The fact of the matter is, God has each day numbered for us and for the world. Now, I don't mean that to seem morbid or gloomy, but the concept is true. Just because we humans add an extra day to the calendar, doesn't mean that God added an extra day to our lives. Leap Day was factored in to the lifespan of everyone alive today. So perhaps the question the app should be asking is, "What are you going to do with your today"?
Today is the perfect day to ask Christ Jesus into your heart if you haven't already. If you have, today is the perfect day to start talking to Him if you've been silent for a while. Today is the perfect day to ask forgiveness of your sins and lay your burden at the foot of the Cross. Today is the perfect day to start exercising like you've been talking about doing or mending emotional fences if they are in disrepair. Today is the perfect day to live your life instead of putting off the things your need or want to do - providing the want to is in accordance with God's will for your life.
In truth, I think Leap Day is aptly named, not because it is an extra day or because of the leap it makes to keep the seasons in check, but because it is a reminder that we should Leap for Joy over the blessing of another day in God's calendar of our lives. We should Leap for Joy over the blessings of family and friends in our lives, because life is short and spending it doing anything but living in the happiness God has for us (Psalm 146:5 / Proverbs 16:20) is foolish and gives the enemy a mighty foothold ... and really no one can leap when his or her foot is being held down.
So, what did you do with the blessing of your today? If you're blessed with one, what will you do with your tomorrow? Life is short dear friends, let's Love, Live and Leap in Praise to God above!
