Psalm 118:24 (ESV) says, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

The problem is not that today is the day that Lord has made. We may know that today is the day that God created; but, do we believe it? If we believe that God has created today; do we act like it?

I have heard this quote several times but probably the most recent place I’ve heard it is from Kung-Fu Panda. It goes like this, “Yesterday is history; Tomorrow’s a Mystery; but, Today is a gift, that is why we call it the present.” I like this quote because it sums up how we should live our lives succinctly. Basically the premise of the saying is that we cannot do anything about yesterday but learn from it; and, since we have no idea what tomorrow holds we shouldn’t worry about it. The only day that really matters is today and what you do with it. God gave you today for a reason!

James 4:13-15 (NIV) says, “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. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’”

We have no idea about tomorrow, and yet a lot of times we spend much of our lives worrying about what we need to do. Notice in verse 15 that James says, “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” Planning is not the problem. It is merely the fear and worry that we often feel for not knowing tomorrow’s outcome. Sometimes, and maybe even a lot of times, we become wrapped up and fearful of the unknown. Think about it like this, if you don’t know something then it is out of your scope of control. It’s not being in control that many of us fear. I was reading from listverse.com about the top 10 strong human fears and coming in at number nine was ‘the unknown’.

Being out of control, or not in control, is the thing that a lot of us fear; what is it that God asks us to do? He asks us to hand over all of our control to him. That can be a scary thought if it were anyone else; however, since we know the nature and personality of God it can ease our minds to know he is in control.

When speaking of the shortness of life William Shakespeare places his prose in this way, “Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more,” (Excerpt from Macbeth). Even from the secular artist’s point of view life is short comparing it to the shortness of a scene. Here is a poem about another perspective of the shortness of life:

How Do You Live Your Dash
by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
from the beginning … to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
and spoke of the following date with tears.
But he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.

For it matter not how much we own;
the cars … the house … the cash.
What matters is how we live and love …
and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard;
are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
to consider what’s true and real …
And always try to understand
the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
and show appreciation more.
And love the people in our lives …
like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
and more often wear a smile …
Remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy’s being read …
With your life’s actions to rehash …
Would you be proud of the things they say …
About how you spent your dash?

Being that our lives are so short we should consider each day a blessing and know that every good a perfect gift comes from above. Every good blessing comes from God. 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NIV) says, “For he says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” That is ultimately why we should not put off until tomorrow what we can do today because tomorrow is not guaranteed. Today is the day of salvation and now is the time for God’s abundant favor! What will you do with today?

Be kind, considerate, and remember; Peace, Love, and Christ ‘cause you know He died for you!