One Day At A Time

One day at a time sweet Jesus,

That's all I'm asking from You,

Just give me the strength to do every day what I have to do.

Yesterday's gone, sweet Jesus,

And tomorrow may never be mine;

Lord help me today, show me the way,

One day at a time.

 

                           Marijohn Wilkin

 

 

I love this song.  I heard it the first time in my teens and there hasn't been a week since

that it hasn't come to mind and I've found myself singing the above chorus to it.  I don't

know about you, but I tend to worry a lot about what is coming tomorrow.  The cares and

concerns for my tomorrows sometimes suppress the blessings of today.  God has promised

us strength for today, not for tomorrow.  If we use up our allotted strength for today in

worrying about tomorrow, we are not only foolish, but in trouble, for we've left ourselves

without strength for today!  God knows that it is best for us to take one day at a time.  We
live today and let God take care of tomorrow.

Isaiah 33:2  "O LORD, be gracious unto us:  we have waited for Thee:  be Thou
their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble."

God knows that it is best that we can't see our tomorrows.  What we learn today will
help us with our tomorrows;  if we see tomorrow before we learn the lesson of today,
we could become overwhelmed.  Learning to live by faith day by day builds our
spiritual strength to endure tomorrow.

I have learned from experience that the problems of tomorrow are never as bad as what
you think they are when you view them from today.  God has never let me down, His
faithfulness will be the same tomorrow as it was yesterday.  When we put our trust in
man is when we get into trouble.  Even the best intensions of others can fail us.

So why can we trust God with our tomorrows?

1.  Because He has never let us down in the past.

Deuteronomy 7:9  "Know therefore that the LORD thy God, He is God, the
faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and
keep His commandments to a thousand generations:"

God not only is faithful to us, but He IS Faithful...it is who He is, it's one of His attributes,
His very character.  When God promises something to His child, you can be absolutely
positive that promise will stand forever! 

The more trials that we go through, the more that we have the blessing of seeing the
faithfulness of God at work in our lives.  Psalms 119:90 tells us "Thy faithfulness is
unto all generations:  Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth."  What a
wonderful Heavenly Father we have.

2.  Because He only has our good in mind.

Romans 8:28  "And we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."

We do not have the mind of God to know why things happen the way that they do, but
we can trust what He has in mind for us.  It is only those that love God, that can claim
this promise in Romans 8:28.  If you will look closely, it says that all things work together
FOR good...  Our idea of what good is differs from Gods.  It doesn't say that things WILL
be good.  The will of God could be a life full of pain...where's the good in this you might
wonder.  It draws that child of God into a unique, closer relationship with their Savior
because of the particular trial they are living.  It works for good in their life, producing
a deeper faith, a stronger testimony and a sweeter spirit of trust. 

James 1:2 & 3 "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations
(trials) Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."

God allows everything into our lives for a reason.  Have faith that your loving Heavenly
Father knows best.

3.  Because He wants to make us more Christ-like.

Malachi 3:3  "And He (God) shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver:...and purge
them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in
righteousness."

Our Great God is the refiner of our souls.  He purges the undesirable and sinful from
our lives through the refining fire of trials and tribulations.  He knows that the fire
is uncomfortable and at times even hurts, but it is needful to have a purified vessel
in the end, that is useful to the Lord and His service. 

If you think on the job of a refiner, he is very careful with what he is holding over
the heat of that fire.  He knows just how much heat to apply to do away with the dross
that is hanging on.  He never takes his eyes off that vessel and He never leaves it over
the fire any longer then necessary.  When he can see his image reflected back in that
vessel, he knows the work is complete.

Our lives should be lived reflecting the Lord Jesus Christ to all we come in contact
with!  Philippians 1:21 says;

Philippians 1:21  "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

I can trust God with all my tomorrows because it is only through Him that I live.  If
He desires that our lives reflect Him, then we can trust Him to complete the work that
is needed in them. 

Don't worry about tomorrow, God knows all about it.  When we commit our way unto
Him, we have no need of concern, for He cares for us.  "One day at a time sweet Jesus,
that's all I'm asking from You."

Psalms 48:14  "For this God is our God for ever and ever:  He will be our guide
even unto death."

Father, lead me day by day,

Ever in Thy loving way.

May my life be pure and true,

Show me what I ought to do.

 

When I'm tempted to do wrong,

Make me steadfast, wise, and strong;

And when all alone I stand,

Shield me with Thy mighty hand.

 

As I travel on life's sea,

Help me to remember Thee.

Happy most of all to know,

That my Father loves me so.

 

May I do the good I know,

Be Thy loving child below,

Then at last go home to Thee,

Evermore Thy child to be.

 

                                                 John Page Hopps