This is the only today we'll have

Today is an absolutely glorious day! The trees are at their peak color and the weather is going to be warm with blue skies. A beautiful autumn day in Michigan.

God has given this day to us.

No matter where we may be living. No matter what our circumstances.

God wants us to realize that.

It may seem trite, or almost insignificant, but it’s the truth and that truth should make all the difference in how we approach today.

This is the only October 23, 2015 we will experience. That’s it. This moment in time is ours as a gift.

I'm remembering how a former coworker and I used to start the morning by praying. And she would often pray out, “Thank you Father for giving us this day, because there are many who didn’t live to see it.”

It’s the truth.

The scripture, “This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it,” isn’t meant to be a nice-sounding, sentimental statement that sits on a shelf somewhere in the deep recesses of our brain collecting dust. 

It’s a declaration. It’s a statement of faith.

We have to have faith to speak it out. We have to have faith to realize that this day is a gift from God. We have to have faith to make a decision to rejoice in it – regardless of how we may feel. We have to have faith to decide, as an act of worship, to give thanks.

We can’t rejoice in the day if we aren’t mindfully thankful for it.

We can’t rejoice in the day if we aren’t focused on the Creator of the day to begin with.

It all flows from having the right focus. It all flows from having our eyes on the Eternal One. And it helps to realize this faith and the decisions flowing from it don't deny the reality of our current challenges or feelings. We're invited to look past those feelings to hold on to the promises of God.

You may be old enough to remember the hymn with the verse:  “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full into His wonderful face..."

That’s exactly the point. 

As we do what the hymn suggests, then, by God's mercy, "The things (various trials, disappointments and heartbreaks) of this earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

This isn't to say that it is always easy to do. Or that life is always sweet. 

In fact, a lot of time we are so distracted by the day-to-day business of living that we forget this simple lesson. And often the challenges of life may try to emotionally, physically and spiritually wear us down. 

But staying focused on God, looking "full into His wonderful face," is a key to unlocking a flow of thankfulness and appreciation that will become like a wellspring for our soul.

Photo Credit: www.allaboutgod.net