Be Joyous In What The Lord Provides Today – Don’t Worry About Tomorrow!

Word-Of-The-Day: ‘For <Jesus> says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.’ (2 Corinthians 6:2); ‘(33) <Jesus said,> “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  (34) Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”’ (Matthew 6:33-34)

Last night, we had a bit of a scare. Returning from Wednesday Bible Study, we came in and started to settle down for the evening. Preparing to eat the meal we picked up through one of drive-thru fast food places, I turned on the kitchen sink’s faucet to wash my hands, and the water came out but only in a thin stream with little pressure behind it. Thinking it could be its baffle was clogged, I went into the bathroom and turned the faucet at the sink in there to compare, and – same thing. Uh-oh!

I went outside; we have a ‘two-pump’ well-water system, one to pump the water from the ground into an aerator tank, then a pump to pull the water from the tank into the house (with a filter and a softener in between). I verified the ground pump was working, and the aerator tank was filled with water. The house pump, though, wasn’t kicking on. Uh-oh!

I went back in the house, and started to think through the effort and materials required to replace the pump – and making the mental changes to Thursday’s schedule to fix it, when the Lord gave me the thought to check one more thing, the blue pressure tank that each pump has. With my handheld air pump, I go check the pressure, and sure enough, the tank was low (about 10 PSI). I pumped it back up to 38 PSI, and amazingly the house pump kicked on and the water began to flow again in the house.

So now, instead of an immediate crisis, I can at least keep the water flow going until I have more time (i.e., Saturday morning) to do the repairs, and ensure I have all I need to replace the pressure tank, and to also be ready to replace the house pump when necessary (it’s rusted pretty bad, but I have a replacement pump on hand, just not its plumbing attachments).

I thought of the worst-case scenario, and the time involved that would affect the day and began to worry, but the Lord calmed me down, had me think out the issue, and find the problem really wasn’t as dire as first thought. We have water flow – I can take my daily shower! I don’t have to alter the schedule for tomorrow. The crisis is downgraded to an issue. I have Joy!

Sometimes we get so caught up on what will happen – usually that ‘worse-case scenario’, we lose sight of what is in front of us right now.  Yes, our country looks like it’s going to rip apart at the seams; a new president with a firm agenda, but perhaps is a bit boorish and lacking in tact, is taking the reins of a fractured government, and Americans fractured between defining what is fact and feelings.  A pandemic of a virus that has long gone, but leaving behind a pandemic of conflict in veracity and political fiat.  The immediate future to some looks bleak, and it is making some anxious and depressed.

But what do you have today?  Stop and look at what you have right now; I look right now and see it is a beautiful day outside, I have had my daily banana, I have my kitties that are peeking into my office (probably wanting a treat or just some attention – or both).  I’m about to waken my wonderful spouse from her cozy slumber.  I praise the Lord for today! 

I praise Him for the beautiful sunrise and coming sunlight, for the comfy bed, for my wonderful spouse, and for our kitties!  We may lose everything tomorrow, but we have these things today.  These are things that (except for the bed and the banana) money cannot buy, especially the feeling of Joy and contentment.  Most importantly, I am thankful for my Salvation in the Lord, and I can rejoice every day for that. 

We do have to BE PREPARED, BE AWARE, and PLAN ACCORDLINGLY for what tomorrow could bring, but don’t be so obsessed with tomorrow that you overlook today’s Joy.  Is it good to go to the stores and stock up on canned goods and toilet paper for the potential hurricane this summer?  Yes, that’s prudent – but don’t let that concern you as much as stopping the leak from your kitchen faucet today, or to make sure you give your loved one a hug, or to give your pet a pat on the head (and food in its bowl). 

The hurricane may not come, the stock market may not crash, and maybe things will at least become more palatable from a national perspective, or the opposite may happen.  Only does today brings the real and tangible results, only does the ‘now’ give you what you truly have.  You may double everything you have tomorrow or you may lose everything tomorrow, but today you have what you have, so be thankful and find Joy in that.  

But know the one thing you have tomorrow that you have today is Jesus as your Savior and your Lord – if you lose everything else, you have Jesus as He cannot be lost!  If you truly want to give a gift of a lifetime, it is not a ring or a pendant (or a warm, comforting shower) but for the Christian the best gift is giving the Gift of The Gospel, the Good News that Jesus loves all so much He gave His Life so that we who believe have everlasting Life with Him.