Daily Devotions

Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:29-36

Jesus refers to “that day” which might “catch you unexpectedly”. What do we do with that?

We could think about “that day” somewhere out in front of us. We could think of “that day” as something that will happen “someday”. Such thoughts might baffle us, confuse us, or scare us. But, like a warning that we will get cavities if we don’t brush our teeth or heart disease if we don’t give up fatty meat for supper every night, thinking about “that day” happening “someday” probably won’t motivate us.

We’ll just tuck that information back in the corners of our minds. We’ll forget about it, deny it, pretend it away.

And deep inside we know, if our preparations for “that day” have anything to do with our abilities to remain alert, or our inner resources of strength, then we’re probably already toast. There is probably already too much “dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life” weighing us down.

Someday is a weight we can’t bear. It is out of our reach.

But what if we think of “that day” simply as “today”?

I don’t know about “someday”, but I do know that today we give our dissipation to God, we can ask God for the gift of sobriety, and we can turn our worries of this life over to God to take care of.  I know that God can protect, care for, provide for, forgive, guide, and love us today. And I know we can realize that, depend on it, stake our lives on it. And it will work. For today.

Frankly, that is what I think Jesus is looking to give us. It is why, in the prayer he taught us, we pray “Give us THIS day our daily bread” instead of “give us someday our daily bread.”

All we have is today. That is all we need. And if, by God’s grace, we string enough todays together to reach someday, we’ll be in good shape.

Let us pray: Dear Lord, we pray for the grace to entrust our lives to your care and keeping for today. Help us face today with the confidence born of knowing that nothing can separate us from your love, the freedom that gives us to be ourselves, and the peace that it gives us to live honestly, uprightly, joyfully, and soberly. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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