One Day

Recently, a staff pastor shared a devotion in our staff meeting about time.  It was excellent and dovetailed nicely with the Bible study I am currently engaged in, Restless by Jennie Allen. 

I've been thinking about time all week.  Obviously, there is purpose in making plans, setting goals, and peering into the future.  But, what I've been dwelling on is the time given each of us in one day. 

I've tried to make a new commitment to living one day at a time.  I’m simply waking up each morning with thanksgiving on my heart, reminding myself that this day has been gifted me from my Father and it’s worthy of my patience and detailed attention.  I’m asking the Lord to lead my day by creating in me a mindfulness that will bring Him glory. 

There was a time in my life when all I could do was live one day at a time.  When tragedy or stress hits hard and rocks your world, looking too far ahead in life becomes paralyzing and frightening.  You feel like you only have enough faith, breath, and strength to live for just now, this day, maybe even that very minute.  Walking out your faith and trusting God’s presence and his sovereignty takes every conscious fiber of your being.  One day is all you can handle, if you can handle it at all.

On the flip side, when things are going well, you don’t want your one day to end!  Capturing the joy and contentment in our days makes us want more of the same.  When are we ever satisfied with having just one great day!?  Thanksgiving pours from our hearts, smiles are freely given, warm embraces and sweet conversations replace a whirlwind of frantic activity when we’re experiencing the sunny side of life.

Realistically, there’s a rub, isn't there?  It’s called life.  We know we’re not going to have all good days and we’re not going to have all bad days.  We experience struggles and victories and they have their way. But, each of our days are important and hold a treasure for us to display.  The treasure is God’s glory.

Jennie Allen pointed out this Scripture from Acts 13:36, “For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep . . .”  One day, David’s life on earth was finished at God’s leading.  David was a man after God’s heart and his life had immense purpose in changing the history of the world.  Like David, we have a unique purpose to fulfill in our own generation before we fall asleep one day.  We can look back over the course of David’s life and pinpoint many days of triumph and victory, as well as failures.  Yet, his life held extreme importance to God’s story.

Paul’s urgency to proclaim the Gospel proved he understood that each day holds eternal meaning.  Paul writes in Ephesians 4:1, “…I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” David lived his life worthy of the purpose God had given him, through the joys and the pain. 

Hebrews 11 reveals those who lived their days putting their faith into action.  People just like us.  Not to oversimplify the details of their lives, but let’s consider these profound truths about one of their days.  One day, Abel gave a better sacrifice.  One day, Noah, when warned about the things to come, in complete reverence for God, started building the ark.  One day, Abraham started the journey to make his home in a foreign country, looking forward to God’s promise being fulfilled.  One day, Sarah made the decision to consider God faithful and was able to bear a child.  Faithful servants of God admit that they are strangers on earth.  These people, now witnesses of faith, longed for a better country, a heavenly one.  And, because of that, God was proud to be called their God.

One day, Moses chose to be mistreated along with the people of God.  Others conquered kingdoms, administered justice, gained what was promised, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword.  Their weakness was turned to strength; they became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.  One day, others were tortured and refused to be released, some faced jeers and flogging, chains and imprisonment.  Some were put to death; some were destitute, persecuted and mistreated.  The truth is, the world was not worthy of them.  Their one day filled with steadfast resolve was their one day to shine God’s glory. 

Jennie reminds us in Restless that God is after one great purpose for our days.  His glory.  “Glory is the visible expression of God’s character on this Earth.”  Jennie Allen

Every morning, if we have breath, God’s glory, the visible expression of His character through us, the evidence of God in the Earth, is the goal of our day. That changes things for me. 

Yesterday, my day was non-stop. I had an early meeting in Orange County (along with glorious traffic) that brought me back to the office in the afternoon.  From the office I darted home to get in my exercise for the evening, ate, met with my daughter to help her with a college exit interview, then engaged in wedding planning for her, had to re-hang kitchen cabinets (yes, I did this!), then rushed out to meet my kids at a local restaurant who just flew in from Washington.  I needed to squeeze those grand babies!  Driving home, all I could think about was the staff devotion I needed to finish to be prepared for the next day.  A time of prayer had to happen next.  Not all of those events of my day were planned, but they were needed, and I purposed to handle them with God’s grace and power, and my day ended late and good.  God’s grace was sufficient for me.  I believe God received the glory for my day.  I can’t say that about every day, but that’s how I want to live.  Our days are fleeting, they are but a breath.  They matter in conjunction with God’s grand story.

Hebrews 12:1-3, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

One day at a time, I'm to fix my eyes upon Jesus.  If it’s a struggle or a victory, the ancients of old are our examples.  They endured their days with grace.  Their lives witness to what living a life of faith is all about. 

  

Jennie Allen said, “Without some effort, we will waste our minutes, our days . . . our lives.  So, putting thought into spending our time and resources for the glory of God may be the most important thing we can do.”

I absolutely LOVE this illustration she put together. 

“The story of God through Scripture + an understanding of myself and my resources + taking inventory of the need around me + the mystery of following the Holy Spirit’s leading = obediently living my purpose.”

God’s story plus a clear understanding of my passions, creativity, and purpose, plus my mindfulness of the needs around me in my world and beyond, plus the complete mystery and beautiful gift of following the Holy Spirit’s leading by being attentive and alive, equal ME obediently living out, day by day, my purpose.  This is how I want to live every day, no matter if it’s a good day or a bad day.  Every day holds the weight of eternity upon it.

The gift of a day holds a reason for joy…our hope of heaven…living our purpose…running our race….showing God to the world….not growing weary….staying motivated by faith…finding and doing the works he has prepared in advance for us to do….doing all in and through the name and glory of God.

“Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed him as his counselor?  Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way?  Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?”  Isaiah 40:13-14

“Isaiah 40 describes the enormity of a God who sits above the circle of the earth…It is not that we are insignificant.  Rather, he is so significant that comparatively, we are but a breath…He breathes in and out, and a generation has already passed away.”  Jennie Allen  If we have a day, it’s one day to offer as a living, breathing testimony of His divine power within us.  It’s one day to show the world, God.

It’s not a simple thing to do, live one day at a time.  It takes purpose and unwavering trust in a God who is all powerful, all knowing, and ever present.  Proverbs 14:15 teaches us to be aware of our days when it says, “The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.” 

When I look back over the course of my life, I want God’s approving statement to be, “For when Laurie had served God’s purpose in her own generation, she fell asleep.”  My age won’t matter when I leave this Earth.  The manner in which I leave won’t matter.  Who I leave behind won’t matter.  All that will matter is that I displayed the evidence of God in my generation.  I’m not promised my tomorrows.  I have one day, today.  I want to make my day count.  May God’s story continue as I live each day I’m blessed with, revealing His glory. 

“One day, Laurie . . .”