“Today is a new day. It's a day you have never seen before and will never see again. Stop telling yourself the 'same crap, different day' lie! How many days has that lie stolen from you? Seize the wonder and uniqueness of today! Recognize that throughout this beautiful day, you have an incredible amount of opportunities to move your life into the direction you want it to go.”
― Steve MaraboliPSALM 53-55
1Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might.
listen to the words of my mouth.
3Arrogant foes are attacking me; ruthless people are trying to kill me—
people without regard for God.
the Lord is the one who sustains me.(54:1-4)
ACTS 27:26-44
33Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. 34Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” 35After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. 36They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37Altogether there were 276 of us on board. 38When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea. 39When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. 41But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf. 42The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. 43But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely. JOURNAL
Paul amazes me because he never seems to mourn the life he might have had. He does not dwell on the injustice of being a prisoner or wish he were somewhere else. Instead, he fully embraces the moment God has placed before him. In the middle of a raging storm, surrounded by frightened soldiers, sailors, and prisoners, Paul becomes the calmest person on the ship. He encourages them to eat, gives thanks to God in front of everyone, and becomes a light in the darkness. His circumstances do not define him because his purpose is never tied to his circumstances. Wherever he is, he simply asks, "How can I love and serve God here?"
How often do I miss the life that is right in front of me because I am living somewhere else? My mind drifts to regrets from yesterday or hopes and fears about tomorrow. In doing so, I miss the people, opportunities, and small acts of obedience that God has placed in today's path. The present moment is where God meets me. It is where His Spirit works through me. It is where His kingdom advances.
I am realizing that trusting God is not just believing He controls the future. It is believing that today, exactly as it is, is enough. I do not have to wait for better circumstances to become the person God is calling me to be. Like Paul, I can choose to be a source of courage, gratitude, and hope right where I am. Every ordinary moment is an opportunity to love, to serve, and to reflect Christ. The life I long for is not waiting somewhere in the future. It is found in fully embracing the day God has given me.
31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
MATTHEW 25:31-46
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