September 6: TODAY

See it:

Show me, LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before You. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be. But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in You. Psalm 39:4-7 (NIV)

Obey it:

Three dangers of leaving until tomorrow what you can do today:

1. Today, you are the answer to someone’s prayer. One of the acts of God, through His Spirit, consists of connecting the needs of His children with those who can fill those needs. If God impresses your heart to give or do something, now is the time. Postponing our generosity is to disobey. The moment you receive the conviction to give or do and you say, “Later,” you are saying, “I decide.”
2. You are alive today, but you know nothing about your tomorrow. If you understand that to serve is a privilege, you would be depriving yourself of that benefit by postponing your service. Notice in today’s text all the words that speak about the brevity of life: Fleeting. As nothing. But a breath. A mere phantom. The psalmist described what many ignore: tomorrow is not guaranteed; only today may you work and serve.
3. You can decide what you do today; tomorrow another will do it for you. While we are alive, we can decide how, where, how much, and to whom our donations and actions will flow. After we die, though we may leave a will, the control is left in other hands which do not always reflect our same interests. Because you’re alive today, do good to others today.

Share it:
1. Send anonymous flowers to your office receptionist or someone who works near you.
2. Buy an extra umbrella for a rainy day.
3. Give your waiter or waitress a larger than usual tip.

My prayer today:
Lord, I recognize that tomorrow is not guaranteed. Can You help me do something today? Amen.

Season of Service