This Day

Psalm 107:1
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.

Monday.....
A new week...a new day.
Stretching out before me are 7 days. I know they are there, and I know that they are in order. Monday will turn to Tuesday, followed by Wednesday...and on and on. Eventually we will roll around to another Monday. Such is time.

Enough of these days pile up and we will have completed a year, but that is another story for another time. Today we have Monday. Funny thing about time is that as it stretches out before you, there will be things that come your way that are unexpected. Unexpected "good" and unexpected "bad". We don't always see them coming do we?  

Maybe such thoughts as to the possibilities of the week is why I should keep my focus on Jesus. Moving through this day with the understanding that He will guide me and help me to navigate through every obstacle and problem that seek to derail any progress I make in this life journey.

This day may even be my last one here on this side of heaven. This day may hold the potential for my death. I pray that it doesn't, but we just don't know about these things.
The day could hold disappointment....
Bitterness.....
Jealousy....
Unforgiveness....
Anger.....
All manner of negative, destructive emotions that will take my focus off of Jesus. That is why it is important for me to start my day by reading and studying His word. That is why it is important for me to spend time in prayer, communicating and listening for Him. 

I think for the most part, people let life drive them. They merely roll with punches that come their way giving no thought as to seeking God's directive and instruction on how to deal with life. Believe you me, I'm no expert at this thing but I know enough to cry out to God for help and direction when the day begins to pummel me from every direction. I think the apostle Paul explained it best when he wrote II Corinthians 4:7-9
We now have this light shinning in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but not abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

Sounds to me like ol' Paul knew some things about what life is really all about. Now before you think I've gone all "gloomy-Gus" on you, I haven't. In the midst of all the trouble that life will hand us, there is great joy found in God. I know it sounds like I'm talking about "pie-in-sky" theology, but I am not. I'm speaking of something that I have found in my journey with Christ. That when things get the darkest...........when life turns hard and cold, there is an attitude and a reality that God will bring to your heart that cannot be explained with words or thoughts. You just know that you just know. You are filled with peace and a joy that helps to steady your thoughts and steps as you move through whatever it is you are facing.

Paul went on to write in verse 17: For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever. So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Sounds like good advice to me.
How about you?
God on you...
mbb