If not tomorrow then it has to be today. Today means there is no other day than this one. It is now or never. It indicates a sense of urgency, a spirit of immediacy.
Throughout scripture, God teaches us to take one day at a time. On the contrary, many people live one month or even years at a time. In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11. Or as Dr. Luke puts it, “Give us day by day our daily bread.” Luke 11:3. In these words, we see that our focus should be on today and not tomorrow. We are to receive what is required for the day’s need.
There is the harmony of the natural with the spiritual. As in the physical bread, so in the spiritual. Jesus says,“I am the bread of life:” John 6:35 “I am the living bread which came down from heaven:” John 6:51. We are to seek daily for the living bread which is Jesus Christ. However, you cannot seek daily for that which you have not tasted and seen that it is good. Our salvation requires no tomorrow, it is now that we need to make a choice to taste of this bread of life and the truth remains, “he that cometh to me shall never hunger;” says Jesus.
In the Lord’s prayer itself, Jesus does not teach us to begin with our own interests rather, it’s after praying in regard to the name and kingdom and will of God-that His name may be honored, His kingdom established, His will performed- that we are to ask our needs may be supplied. God wants us to make His service our first interest. This is why later in the sermon on the mount Jesus says,
“But seek ye first (this day) the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” KJV Matthew 6:33
and the text that follows says,
“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” KJV Matthew 6:34.
Clearly, the decision to seek the kingdom of God and the righteousness of God is to be made today, even before you think of what you will put on-clothes or what you shall eat that day-food.
Since the bread we seek is for this day, Today, it means we ought to die to self daily and make sure we are in harmony with God’s will day by day. This is why Paul says, “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.” 1 Corinthians 15:31 “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.“ 2 Corinthians 4:16. Our commmitment to Christ should be renewed daily.
If you renounce self today and give yourself to Christ then you are a member of the family of God, and everything in the Father’s house is for you and therefore nothing you ask will be denied. And since self is dead, the bread you seek will not be yours alone but yours and for others as well. You will pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” and not “Give me this day my daily bread”.
In the book of Joshua 24:15, we read, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you THIS DAY whom ye will serve;” (emphasis supplied). Joshua is telling the Israelite to choose THIS DAY not tomorrow for there is no other day. It was needful for them to choose that day to serve and obey God. In 1 Kings 18:21, Elijah asks the Israelites,”How long halt ye between two opinions?” They needed to make a decision. As it was of import for those Israelites to choose that day, so it is to all of us to decide today “for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” KJV Romans 13:11.
Ellen White writes in the devotional book Our Father Cares page 309 paragraph 4, “Character is power.” This is a very powerful statement especially if you understand what character is and how it is formed. Our characters are formed by our habits which result from our thoughts and actions. Let me focus on thoughts. Every little or big thing we do or say in life is prompted by a thought which we make. Therefore, in saying character is power, it actually means thoughts are powerful and that there is the power of choice. It’s as powerful as determining whether you will win Heaven or shun Hell. Our characters-which result from our choices, will determine our destiny.
Thousands are deceived in thinking that when Christ comes, other than being given new bodies, we shall be fitted for heaven by being given new characters. That is unbiblical. Christ will not change anyone’s character by or at His coming. When one dies, the Preacher says,“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” KJV Ecclesiastes 12:7. The spirit here indicates the character of an individual which actually remains when Christ comes.
Unfortunately death is not discriminative, we cannot take chances with it. Death can take anyone at any time “For he seeth that wise men die,likewise the brutish person perish,and leave their wealth to others” KJV Psalms 49:10. If at all we knew when we are going to die, then we could be living a life of complacency, our lives could be of doing things as we wait for the day before passing on so as to change our lifestyle before we die. Now is the time to begin to cooperate with God in forming our characters. Today as you hear His voice do not harden your hearts.
We know not what results a day, an hour, or a moment may determine. Let us decide for eternal life now. Why not decide today?
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