Tuesday, January 18, 2011

This Day

Happy New Year!! The beginning of a new year always gives people the sense of a new beginning. Hang up a new calendar. Set aside the old, and bring in the new. Make resolutions. Celebrate a fresh start.

The truth is that the dawning of each day is a new beginning. Yesterday is done. Tomorrow belongs to the future. One perspective of the timelessness of eternity is that God lives in the now. God tells us in so many ways to live each day.  Here, for example:
Give us this day our daily bread.
                          ~from the Lord's Prayer
This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
                                     ~from Psalms 118


Somewhat ironically, we seem more aware of our days-- and our dependency upon God-- in troubled times.  When each day is struggle enough, we are thankful to get through it. When our days are numbered by age or illness, we cherish each day. When we have limited days to spend with a loved one or on vacation, we savor each one.

In the absence of those reminders, it is easy to squander today because of the perceived security of our circumstances. But, none of us knows what tomorrow will bring. You have a job today; you could lose it tomorrow. You are healthy today; you could receive a dreaded diagnosis tomorrow. You enjoy a favored relationship today; it could be broken or severed by death tomorrow. You live in comfort today; it could be snatched away tomorrow.

No matter our circumstance, the only true security is found in God. Although the Lord's faithfulness continues without interruption, his loving compassion is renewed with the coming of dawn.
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
                                             ~Lamentations 3

And therein lies a secret to overcoming. The dawning of a new day brings new strength. It is a new beginning.

This day belongs to the Lord, and I will draw strength from Him and live in anticipation of His blessings. Today.

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