I have adopted the policy of enjoying the day that I’ve been given. I do my best not to have regrets about past decisions, nor to relive things I could have done better. I don’t spend time in the future – despite how much my life and technology is a push there. I’m quite consumed with being content in the day that I’ve been given.
I hold that God rules the past, present, and future equally. Thing is, only He exists in all three time-spaces, because He exists outside of time’s boundaries. To us, He’s given us the present. The present is a gift – and one which I choose to spend every day unwrapping until the day is over. Then I can look back and smile because I’ve enjoyed His gift.
In light of saying all of that, I do not have this down. And, in reading about Matt Chandler (via Yahoo), I can see that I’ve got a long way to go before I truly live each day contending for His Kingdom, taking no thought for today’s needs or tomorrow’s cares.
Matthew 6:25-33 (ESV)
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
To the Chandler family, thanks for the very timely and humbling lesson. I’ll be adding you to my prayers.
Matt Chandler is pastor of The Village Church in Texas. Video updates are posted via the pastor’s blog at the website.
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