Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. (James 4:13-15)
When God made the earth, and put Adam and Eve in charge, they were responsible to replenish the earth and be over every living thing. (Gen. 1:28) And although they sinned and were driven from the Garden of Eden and had been told they were going to die for their sin, they lived hundreds of years, waiting for their appointed day of departure. I’ve never found any indication that they knew when they were going to die. Their tomorrows were all unknown to them. They carried out their instructions to be fruitful and multiply.
In the Book of Proverbs, we are admonished to look at the ant. I typed this off onto cards and had my children to memorize these verses. Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. (Proverbs 6:6-11)
In the “ant passage” above, we are instructed to realize tomorrow is coming and when it comes, it will be winter. We are to look at our tomorrow and provide for it. That would include providing something for when we are too old to work. It is not a sin to do that, but rather we are expected to do that; to be at least as smart and as diligent as the ants.
In looking at tomorrow, we need to have a balanced view of it. We are to prepare for tomorrow. At the same time, we are not to think so much about tomorrow that we forget to be responsible for today. Jesus told about a rich man who tore down his barns and built bigger barns. He was a self-centered dude, who thought only of himself and forgot all about God. Notice that his attitude was so out of line that God called him “a fool.” That doesn’t occur very often in the Bible.
And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:18-21)
The Bible talks about tomorrow. We may feel like we have tomorrow by the tail but, not really. We do not know what is around the curve in the road. The heart of America mourns for the people gunned down in the massacre at Las Vegas over the weekend. The uncertainty of life is before us in that horrible scene. And yet, we do not have to be in Las Vegas or a war zone to experience the uncertainty of life. We do not know what a day may bring forth. We do not know what a knock at the door may bring or what a telephone call may say to us. That trip to the grocery story could be deadly.
We are admonished from ancient times: O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: (Psalm 95:6-8)
This passage is quoted in the New Testament: … Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. (Heb 4:7) God’s day for you is today. Do not think about getting right with God tomorrow. You may not have tomorrow. God has given you today and today is your time to draw near to God. We do not know when our last day will be.
If you need to be saved, or if you are already saved but there’s something not right between you and the Lord, today is day to fix it. If there is something between you and a friend or family member that needs to be fixed, today is the day to fix it. Pick up the phone! Knock on the door! Some things need to be done today.
On the other hand, God has given us tomorrow as the day of hope. For the Christian, it is the bulwark of our souls. Tomorrow will be a better day than today. The Negro Spiritual: “Swing low, sweet chariot. Coming for to carry me home” speaks to that. One of the most loved songs in the south is Sweet Beulah Land. I’ve provided a link for you to enjoy it.
Are you OK with your tomorrow? If tomorrow is your last day, are you OK with that? There’s nothing like being able to lay your head on your pillow at night and waking up in Heaven if God should call. Ω
Read Through the Bible in a Year
October 4, 2017 – WEDNESDAY
A.M. Isaiah 29-30
P.M. Ephesians 6
(Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.)
Great Memory Verses:
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. (1Corinthians 3:6-9)
Song for Today:
Sweet Beulah Land (3:47) (Carroll Roberson)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J15I85hESTg
Wait a few seconds. You may have to adjust the volume.