One Day at a Time

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:25-34  

 

Several years ago, I had the pleasure of putting together a program for a local assisted living facility where the residents gave me a list of their favorite songs to include in their own “personalized” music program. As I perused their list of suggestions from “way back when”, most of the song titles I recognized while a few others were vaguely familiar. The chorus of one of those “vaguely familiar” requests has been speaking to my heart this past week and made me pause and reflect while I read the message of the words again today.

 

“One day at a time, sweet Jesus, that's all I'm asking from you. 

Just give me the strength to do everyday what I have to do. 

Yesterday's gone, sweet Jesus, and tomorrow may never be mine. 

Lord help me today, show me the way, one day at a time.”  *

 

In Matthew 6: 25-34, Jesus asks of us, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” and then tells us to have faith in God’s plans for our lives by lovingly stating, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.”  What a blessing it would be for each of us to do our best to take “one day at a time”, trusting God to be by our side each minute of each day as He takes the burdens of our lives and places them upon His heart.

 

PRAYER: Precious Lord and Gracious Savior, at times I’m such a “worry wart”, thinking about what might be coming tomorrow instead of trusting your promises and living in the present, one day at a time, as you have requested. As I wake each morning, may my thoughts and prayers center on your gracious plans for my day and then proceed through the day, doing what needs to be done. At night, please help me to remember to give my worries to you, so as the morning dawns once again, I am refreshed and ready for the challenges and accomplishments the day has in store.  Amen

 

Patty Niemann (originally published August 2011)

 

* ONE DAY AT A TIME, SWEET JESUS

(words and music by Marijohn Wilkins / Kris Kristofferson)