There can be no time like the present—a gift granted by God that gives all people the opportunity to avoid the regrets of yesterday or the worries of tomorrow.
by Jeff Perkins
Today is a special day. Today is the only day we can live. We cannot relive yesterday. It is forever gone. We cannot live tomorrow, for it has yet to arrive. We can only live today. When we focus on yesterday, our mistakes and regrets tend to become burdens that weigh us down. When we focus on tomorrow, worry consumes us and drives us toward despair. God has given us today, and I think that is exactly what He wants us to do: Live today.
What does God want to do with today?
For those who have yet to respond in faith to the gift of life that Jesus offers through salvation, God has given you today to respond. As Paul writes to the church in Corinth, he quotes Isaiah and says: “For he says: ‘At an acceptable time I listened to you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ See, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation!” (2 Corinthians 6:2). God has given you the opportunity today to receive the eternity-changing gift of salvation. You did not do it yesterday. You may not see tomorrow. God has given you today to respond in faith to Christ.
“We cannot relive yesterday. It is forever gone. We cannot live tomorrow, for it has yet to arrive. We can only live today.”
Pastor Jeff Perkins
For those who are followers of Jesus, God has given you today to rest in Him. The writer of Hebrews speaks of a “Sabbath rest” into which God’s people can enter. “Let us, then, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:11). When can we enter that rest? Today. We can rest from our labor of trying to earn salvation, because Christ has done everything needed to make us right with the Father. We can rest from carrying around all our regrets from yesterday. We can rest today.
Many people fall into the trap of worry. So often, worry is concern for things in tomorrows that cannot be changed today. Jesus was very clear in His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount: “‘Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear.’” (Matthew 6:25). Worry is living our tomorrows early when nothing can be done to alter tomorrow. Jesus goes on to say that God takes care of the birds with food and the flowers with clothes. He will take care of you, too. Jesus says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” (Matthew 6:33). Rather than worry, Jesus says to seek God and what He has for you. When? Today.
Today is the day of salvation. Today we can rest in Christ from our yesterdays. Today we can seek God and trust Him with our tomorrows. Today is the most important day ever. Let not regret nor worry rob you of living life today.
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