Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:24

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

Hebrews 4:7b

Even though Jesus tells me not to worry about tomorrow, I do it anyway.

I guess I’m disobedient like that. I don’t want to be, but I’m just the type that looks ahead in my calendar and laments all that I have yet to do. I can worry about a coming meeting months before it happens, only to have the actual event turn out to be mostly harmless.

I’m really good at this. It’s one of my greatest skills–critical thinking, I like to call it. But what it really is this addiction to the idea of tomorrow. Tomorrow I will get some relief. Tomorrow I’ll accomplish what I set out to do. Tomorrow, I’ll find the happiness that can elude me. Tomorrow I’ll deal with the trouble I’m facing.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow.

Did you know that the word “Today” occurs 205 times in the NIV translation of the Bible? Lots of references to today refer to some event that happened on a particular day, but there are others, like this quote from Hebrews, that are meant to be put to use right now.

The writer of Hebrews is actually quoting Psalm 95, a Psalm of praise and worship to God. Here in Hebrews, the writer is reminding us to enter into God’s rest, to take the faithful step of receiving the fullness of God’s loving presence. This is not something to be put on the calendar for next week, or something to study for years about in Sunday school. This is TODAY.

We have both work and rest to do today, and they involve hearing God, and not hardening our hearts.

When we live obsessed with tomorrow, we shirk the duty that God has placed before us as disciples. We are called to receive the fullness of God’s kingdom, to be open to the possibilities of what today might bring. Today, we are taking what God has given us and not wasting it.

I’ve never thought of my addiction to tomorrow as a hardening of my heart, but that’s exactly what it is. It is a rejection of the possibilities of today.

Embracing today means being fully invested. It means working at what is right in front of me and resting in the blessed assurance of a life in Christ. Some days may involve baby steps and others giant, difficult leaps, but always, living for today means living for the Kingdom. God is making the most of this day and wants us to as well.

This is not just some spiritual mindset or even paying attention to the people and events around you. It is an opening of one’s heart to the present moving of God’s spirit, prompting you to a full experience of holiness.

They say, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life,” but I would condense that to simply, “Today is your life.”

Your whole life is happening right now, so get your head out of your calendar…

and become addicted to Today.

Have a great week,

Mitch