Today Is The Time To Live

January 5, 2003

               Today is the time to live, to love, to laugh, to thank and praise God.  Today is the day to encourage, to smile, to cheer the faint-hearted.

                Today is the day to leave a good memory, to say "I love you," to forgive a wrong, to mend a broken relationship.

                Today is the day to give your appreciation to someone you have long admired.  It means more now than all the words spoken at a funeral.

                God's gift of time, whatever the length, filled with the fruits of the Spirit, bring life and happiness.  Is there anything better than love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control?  (Galatians 5:22)

                God has set eternity in the hearts of men.  It is imperative to number our days and to live them with wisdom, understanding and purpose.  Job reminds us of the brevity of time.  "My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle..."  (Job 7:6)

                The world seems impatient with time.  The young can't wait to grow up.  The young adult can't wait to get married.  The grown-ups wished time had not passed so quickly.  The older ones wish for "the good old days."  No one seems to have enjoyed the stage they were in.  Yet, God means for every stage to be enjoyed.  He is the giver of life and He gives it abundantly.

                Instead of living one day at a time, many live in guilt from yesterday or the dread of tomorrow.  Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday!

                 God's Word reveals wisdom in living this life.  "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own"  (Matthew 6:34).

                A daily dose of "This is the day the LORD hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" would create a peaceful, happy day!  (Psalm 118:24)

                To despise or disrespect life is a hideous thing.  I cannot understand those against the death penalty for a heinous crime for the guilty and yet be for the taking of the life of an innocent baby, not to mention the grotesque, horrible partial birth abortion.

                I have lost many older relatives lately and their lives were precious until the very last breath.

                Life is precious and should be respected as such because God is the source of life.  Death is an enemy and one day will be destroyed forever.  When a loved one is lost, one realizes the blessing of time granted to spend with that loved one.

                Meanwhile, in our span of time, we have been given life.  Let's live it with gusto!  Each day is filled with God's wonderful surprises.  To not appreciate the day is to merely exist and endure.

                Today is the "now" of our lives.  Today is the day to make our day count.  Attitude determines the kind of day we have.  Determine, with God's help, to have a good day.  Determine to be joyful, happy and grateful.  "... Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus"  (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

                Think about all the good things that have happened to you and be grateful.

                Don't let anyone or anything spoil today.  Don't ever lose hope.  Where there is life, there is always hope.  "I say to myself, 'The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him"  (Lamentations 3:24).

                "...Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

                Be positive.  Negative thoughts and words destroy the joy for today.

                Help others.  It bears repeating.  The happiest people are those who make other people happy.

                Be cheerful.  Murmuring and complaining are displeasing to God.  "Do everything without complaining or arguing"  (Philippians 2:14).

                Be a good example.

                Guard against self-pity.  Everyone has been unjustly treated at some time in life.  Take time to forgive because forgiveness builds the bridge for moving on.

                Look for the good.  You can always find it, because "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows"  (James 1:17).

                Take time to listen.  You can learn a lot more by listening than by talking.

                Let go of past mistakes.  Rehearsing the past is reliving guilt and pain.  Repent.  Ask God to forgive you.  Then forgive yourself and put the past behind.

                God has given you the gift of time.  Use your time to live today and every day for Him.  How your life is lived is the gift that is given back to God.

                Live your gift of time so that you can say at the end of your life:  "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith"  (2 Timothy 4:7).

                Time is God's gift to you!