January 30, 2013 (Wednesday)
“Today is a most unusual day, because we have never lived it before; we will never live it again; it is the only day we have.”–William Arthur Ward
James was more direct and almost caustic when he spoke about “tomorrow:” “And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, ‘Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we’re off to such and such a city for the year. We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money.’ You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow. You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that” (James 4:13-15 MSG).
While a few people boast about what they are going to accomplish tomorrow, there are many of us who worry about it. To us, Jesus says, “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes” (Matthew 6:34 MSG).
Whether you are arrogant about your tomorrow, or fearful about it, the plain truth is, NOW is the most important time in your life. It is your personal relationship with the Lord at this very moment that determines how you view your yesterdays, and your tomorrows. We all need to grow towards Christian maturity to the point where we are able to say with the Apostle Paul, “To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
If my love for Christ and commitment to Him as my master is absolutely real right now, then I will be able to live with my yesterdays and tomorrows.
Read the beautiful Al Anon poem, “Just for Today”
Or read, “Just for Today” here (different format)