TODAY

 

 

I receive daily emails from a coworker who gives me work to process.  These emails end with a few encouraging words, something like “keep safe, enjoy the afternoon, or keep smiling.”

A recent closing of an email said,

“Please be safe and enjoy Today, it’s another gift from God.”

 

Think about that again,

 

 

That thought spoke volumes to me, a great reminder of how we should be living and looking at each day of our lives! 

How often do we go about life thinking about the future?  What next big adventure do we have planned?  When will we get the next promotion?

 

What are the messages for us with the following Scripture passages?

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.  –Proverbs 27:1  (NIV)

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  –James 4:13-14  (NIV)

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”  –Matthew 6:34  (NLT)

The main messages I believe are…

…tomorrow is not promised to us,

…we do not know what will happen from day-to-day,

…we should focus on today not be worrying about tomorrow.

How important it is to live one day at a time and realize what a gift it is from God!  If we are continually thinking and living in the future, we will miss the blessing, the gift that is today, the gift that is right in front of us!

 

 

Photo courtesy of BK under Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0)

 

How can we live in the present and realize what a gift today is?

Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise,  making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. –Ephesians 5:15-17  (NIV)

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.  –Colossians 4:5-6  (NIV)

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.  –Hebrews 3:13  (NIV)

 We should…

…live wisely following God’s will.

…see God working in every circumstance.

…let our words be grace-filled, thinking before we speak.

…encourage others in their faith journey.

 

Photo courtesy of The National Guard under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)

When we receive a gift, what do we do?

…Thank the person.

…Use the gift.

…Think of the giver when we see the gift.

Our daily lives should be reflecting these same principles to the gift of Today as we thank God each day for this great gift!

 

May these thoughts this week be a reminder for you to…

 

 

Be encouraged to~

~Focus on the present moment.

~Focus on the present that God has given you.

~Live each day to the fullest doing Kingdom work.

~Thank the Lord for the gift of Today.

~Let your life reflect God’s goodness.

~Look for the beauty of each moment.

 

I saw a video about “happy moments” that relates perfectly to these thoughts. The person in the video said, “Life goes so fast. So often, we are in a rush to get to the next moment.  We do not cherish the present moment, the gift of today.  This day, this moment will never come back.  Make happy moments today.”  What great truth~~

 

 

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  –James 1:17  (NIV)