March 3, 2010

Live for the moment is not necessarily bad advice.  As a little boy growing up in a west Tulsa suburb my focus was on the day that I was living.  What will the weather be like today?  Will I be able to play outside today?  Which of my friends will be able to play with me today?  How many different games can we play in the limited time given, and which one should we start with so we make sure and get it in today?  Everything was about the moment for me and there was little consideration about tomorrow.  Get dirty, make noise, have fun was the objective each day.
 
As a teenager I enjoyed cars, motorcycles, and working out.  I wasn’t that interested in girls until college.  I was still a play machine in Jr. High and High School.  I just wanted to have fun and my toys just made more noise.  I loved working out and seeing what I could do today that I couldn’t do yesterday.  It was all about experiencing the car or motorcycle ride and enjoying the freedom of driving.  Excitement, joy, fun were all found in each day.  There was little concern about politics, health care, or the economy.  All I was concerned about was the weather and if it would be a good day to play outside.
 
Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow , for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”  Matthew 6:34 NKJV 
 
As an adult our concerns do change.  We must be aware of the economy, politics, health care, and the war on terrorism.  It is essential that we work and provide for our family.  The physical needs of the household do rest on adult shoulders.  Considering the potential needs of tomorrow is required in accepting adult responsibilities today.  But concerns can turn into worry.  Worry can become an obsession that turns to dread.  Dread can take the joy and fun out of today.  You can be so consumed with what could possibly happen tomorrow that you quit living today.
 
Jesus’ counsel to not worry about tomorrow tells us to live for the moment.  Live today and let tomorrow take care of itself.  The carefree thinking of children takes their focus to things like the weather and the fun of the day.  Their main concern is if the fun today will be as great as it was yesterday.  What a change it would bring to adult thinking if we could get back some of the carefree thinking of our childhood.  Jesus said, “Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”  You need to not allow your heart and mind to be filled with the list of possible negative things that might happen tomorrow.  Trust in the Lord.  Commit your today and tomorrow to Him and relinquish the belief that worry and concern will make it better.
 
Today play with a toy, enjoy the weather, and don’t worry about tomorrow.
 
I prayed for you,
PG