Word of the Week - Today
“This is the day the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
As I get older it seems like time moves faster. The days, weeks, months, and years fly by. I often reflect on my life and how I invest the precious and finite time I am given here on this earth. As the days and years pass, I value my time more and more. I often quote a saying I heard at JH Ranch many years ago by Bruce Johnston, “we only get one life, but if lived well, one life is enough”. Like most of us, I desire to make the most of my life. I am finishing a book titled “Living Life Backward” by David Gibson. The premise of the book is that we can only live our best life if we face our mortality and live life on earth in light of eternity by “living with the end in mind”. There is only one thing that is certain for all of us: we have limited time on this earth. Accepting death is our first step in learning to live. This encourages us to live in the present of “today” recognizing that we truly don’t know if there will be a tomorrow or what tomorrow might hold for us. This perspective allows us to live life well and to the full because we don’t take things for granted. The bible is filled with scriptures about our lives in the context of eternity. This can make us feel quite insignificant if we are not in a personal relationship with God. On the other hand, if we are in a personal relationship with Jesus and know the love of God, our God purpose/mission, and eternal destiny, we can live “today” with peace, confidence, and “enjoyment”, knowing that this life is meaningful but not where it ends. There is something much better awaiting us on the other side. This is how we live present in today, regardless of our circumstances. “Lord, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” Psalm 39:4
Today – “Yesterday is gone, Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin” Mother Teresa I love this quote and believe it brings clarity to life. The key is that we live in the present and be present where we are. My good friend Chuck Scott reminds me every day to embrace grace “today”! This is not always easy for me as I have a tendency to think forward and desire to live with a plan/agenda. That being said, the bible encourages us to reflect and plan and this is a good and wise practice. The key is that we don’t try to live in from the past or in the future, but we live in the here and now of “Today”.
Here are a few things that I have found keep me grounded in the presence of “Today”:
Make it a priority each day to connect with Jesus First – Jesus modeled this for us while He was here on earth. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed”. Mark 1:35 Even Jesus made connecting with His father the highest priority each day by “Seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” Matthew 6:33. When we enter into the presence of God and connect with the Father through Jesus and the Holy spirit, all the things of this world that concern ourselves with begin to fade as God and His plan and purpose for our lives come into focus. This grounds us in the things of God and allows us to find peace and comfort in who we are in Christ and His plan and purpose for our lives in the Today. This allows us to enter our day centered in our connection to God, which helps us to be more present and focused on the here and now. To trust that God has something good for us to do that matters for eternity. When we are fully present and engaged in “today”, God can use us and produce His fruit in us and through us. “Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear?’ For the pagans seek after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Mathew 6:31-34
Make people a priority each day – Other than our connection to Jesus, there is no higher calling or better investment of our time than in building and nurturing relationships with others. God makes it very clear that the only thing that will last is God and people. Thus, He gives us the great commandment to “Love God with our all and Love others as we love ourselves” Matthew 23:37-39 As we connect and abide in Christ, hopefully we are filled with God’s goodness and spirit so much so that we want to share His goodness with others. This is the essence of ministry. Whatever our agenda, loving others should always be a priority that we pursue in today. It is very hard to love others well if we are not present in the here and now. Investing our time in others is one of the most meaningful investments we can make in God’s economy. There are different degrees of this, but as followers of Christ it is our highest calling to be on mission every day to reach the lost, minister to the hurting, and disciple and encourage fellow believers in the body. “Therefore go an make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 This is the great co-mission that Jesus gave us before He departed earth. Living on assignment gives us purpose in each day as we walk in our calling. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
Live each Day with a clarity of your Purpose and Values – “The two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you found out why” Mark Twain.
For me, the day I surrendered my life to Jesus was the most meaningful day of my life to date, and in doing so, I found my purpose and began to live on purpose. In fact, desiring to know my purpose was what compelled me to surrender my life. God created each of us with a unique purpose in mind as outlined in Ephesians 2:10. “We are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus, to do good works that He prepared in advance for us to walk in”. When we know our purpose, and begin to live in our God purpose, we realize the significance of each day and have a desire to embrace each day and make the most of it. Prior to knowing my God purpose, I found myself trying to get through the day and living forward. Always trying to find something to look forward to like my weekend or next adventure/trip. I still enjoy lots of adventures and trips, but I don’t live my life looking forward, I simply enjoy the day and time I have in the here and now and do my very best to make the most of it. I believe this is a secret to being present and living the abundant life that Jesus spoke of, “the life that is truly life”!
I believe that having clarity of our values is key to living present and in today. When we know who we are and what we value it is much easier to be present and at peace with ourselves and others. “Priorities shift every day; values once defined, stay the same.” John C. Maxwell If you have not done so already, it is powerful to do a values exercise to clearly identify your personal values similar to what we do in our businesses. This is also a wonderful exercise for you to do with your spouse and family. “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are your and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:5-8
Challenge Questions: Are you living in the present? Or, are you preoccupied with the past or living in the future? Is connecting with Jesus each day your first and highest priority? Do you make investing in others a priority each day? Do you know your God purpose? Do you have your values written down?
This is one of my favorite prayers because is emphasizes “Today”.
Serenity Prayer
God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can; And the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make things right If I surrender to His will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with Him Forever in the life to come.
Amen!!!!
Enjoy Today !!!!!!!
Duane