JUST FOR TODAY

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“Just for today.”

Recently GOD has been blessing me with new opportunities to build on some past acquaintances. Yesterday was no exception.  I was given the chance to spend some quality time with a wise, well-traveled and well-read past university president and CEO. 

We had a wonderful talk.

I will be honest. I use to meet with folks of this ilk frequently in my past life but always allowed my own insecurities and fear tarnish the talks.  Instead of being comfortable to listen and glean, I would get overwhelmed and intimidated; focusing more on trying to impress rather than be informed. 

But yesterday was a delightful experience.  I thank GOD for continuing to help me overcome my very real and very deep anxiety of inadequacy in settings like that.

But as we talked and shared, the topic of recovery came up.  As with most folks, it doesn’t matter your social-economic status, the number of plaques on the wall or letters behind your name, almost everyone is or has been touched or impacted by addiction and its inevitable consequence.  

In this case it was a family member.  

Oddly enough my friend was deeply experienced in helping the addicted. In fact he has dedicated years to serving the AA community while never touching a drop of alcohol in his life. So while he knew the ins and outs of the program, when addiction comes to visit a family member, it just “feels” different.  And for my friend, that was most notably true.  And as we talked about his family member, our discussion eventually landed on that little saying or quote so frequently bandied about in the rooms of recovery; “just for today.”  

Yet it was how my friend expanded on the thought that I wanted to share in today’s DISPATCH. 

“Just for today, frees one from the guilt of yesterday’s failures and the anxiety of what tomorrow may or may not hold.”  

Now I am paraphrasing a little as I didn’t have a pen handy to write down the exact phrasing, but what an accurate and helpful thought for all of us nonetheless.  A thought backed up by the WORD as well.

Philippians 3:13

…I am still not all I should be, but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past…

Matthew 6:34

So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.

Often this “just for today” is easily said yet much much harder to execute.  

However, GOD just gave us today to deal with.  Far too many times the failings of our yesterdays and the stress of the potential of tomorrow hinder our ability to effectively carry out the tasks and possibilities encased in today.

Never forget.

All GOD asks for is our today.

Romans 12:1

Take your EVERYDAY, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.

So in other words, make the most of today…today.

Embrace its opportunities.  Do your best with what comes your way in it.  Don’t get distracted by how poorly yesterday may have gone (I had one of those late afternoons myself yesterday and I am glad to purge it from memory and spirit!) or get so caught up in what tomorrow’s agenda looks like.  

Instead do your best with what GOD has served up for you today.

Psalm 118:24

This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be happy today!

 

Simple enough?

Have a “blessed today” and thanks B.B. for a great chat.

I love you all!

Freedom Church

 

Pastor GDelaney