There are times in life when we look ahead and see a mountain of things that might happen. We worry about tomorrow.  We wonder what the next week will bring.  We think about our health, our families, our finances, our relationships, our work, and all the things we cannot control. And before we know it, we are trying to live tomorrow before we have finished living today. But Jesus gives us a remarkably simple piece of wisdom:

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own” Matthew 6:34.

One Day At a Time.

That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t plan.  It doesn’t mean that we should ignore tomorrow or refuse to prepare for the future.  It means that tomorrow belongs to God just as much as today does.

1. We are only given today’s portion.
2. Today’s breath.
3. Today’s opportunities.
4. Today’s prayers.
5. Today’s little acts of kindness
6. And perhaps that is enough.

Give Us This Day.

When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, He didn’t teach them to pray for a year’s supply of everything. He taught them to say:

“Give us today our daily bread” Matthew  6:11. There is something beautifully humble about that prayer:

1. Today.
2. Not everything I might need for the next ten years.
3. Not every answer to every question.
4. Just today’s bread.
5. Today’s strength.
6. Today’s grace.

God knows what tomorrow contains. I don’t.  And perhaps part of faith is being willing to leave some things if not all, in God’s hands.

The Israelites Learned This Lesson.

In the wilderness, God provided manna for the Israelites.  They were told to gather enough for each day.  They couldn’t simply store up an enormous supply because they were afraid God would not provide for tomorrow.  They had to trust Him.  There is a lesson here for us. Sometimes we want God to give us the whole map.  Instead, He gives us the next step. We say, “Lord, show me where this road ends”.  And perhaps God answers: “Walk with Me today”.

Grace for Today.

Sometimes we imagine that if something difficult happens tomorrow, we will somehow need today’s strenth to deal with it. But God’s grace is not something we have to hoard. The Lord who gives strength today can give us strength tomorrow. As the Book of Lamentations remnds us:

“His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning”.  Lamentations 3:22-23.  New every morning. That means yesterday’s difficulties do not exhaust God’s mercy.  And tomorrow’s difficulties will not exhaust it either. Every morning comes with fresh mercy.

We Don’t Have to Solve Everything Today.

There is a great freedom in accepting that some things simply cannot be solved today.

1. Some situations need time.
2. Some answers haven’t arrived yet.
3. Some doors remain closed.
4. Some questions remain unanswered.
5.  And sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is pray.
6.  Saying: “Lord, I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but you do.  Help me to be faithful today”.
7. Then we get on with the day.
8. We make a cup of tea.
9. We take the walk.
10. We speak kindly to someone.
11. We do the work in front of us.
12. We pray.
13. We rest.
14. We laugh when we can.
15. We cry when we need to.
16. We remember that God is present in ordinary things.

Tomorrow is In God’s Hands.

Jesus asks one fundamental question. “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Matthew 6:27.  Worry can make us live in an imaginary future while missing out on the real present.

1. But today is real.
2. This moment is real.
3. The person sitting beside us is real.
4. The opportunity to show love is real.
5. The chance to begin again is real.
6. So perhaps today doesn’t need to be perfect.
7. Perhaps we simply need to live it faithfully.
8. One day at a time.
9. And when tomorrow becomes today, God will already be there.
10. That is the comforting thing about faith.
11. We don’t walk into tomorrow alone.
12. God is already waiting there.
13. So today, I will try not to carry tomorrow on my shoulders.
14. I will give it back to God.
15. I will receive today’s bread.
16. Today’s grace.
17. Today’s strength.
18. And today’s opportunity to love.
19. For as Jesus said: “Do not worry about tomorrow”.  In other words, tomorrow can wait.
20. Today is enough.
21. And God is enough for today.
22. One day at a time.

Amen.

God bless you.

Nick x.