Today is the day

Happy New Year friends. I hope all is going well this year for you. What do I mean by going well? I guess that can be relative, some people look at it differently than others. Let me explain what I mean when I say, "going well".

I don't mean success in business, popularity or notoriety. I don't mean wealth, or prestige, or even good health – although these are nice to have. All these things are subject to change at any given moment, and they do not bring lasting happiness and peace. My hope, dear friends, is that, above all things, you will seek God's direction for your life today.

Recently, my sister and I were out in the woods, cutting up logs and loading them onto a wagon pulled by a four wheeler. When the wagon was loaded, I started the ATV and began to pull the wagon along a very muddy path through the woods. Just before I got to the driveway there was a muddy bank to climb. I gave the ATV some gas, but not enough, and the ATV bogged down and began to spin. I was determined that I could get out of this rough spot. I rocked the ATV back and forth and tried different techniques but I succeeded only in digging a deeper hole and slinging mud all over myself and anything within 20 feet. My sister kept offering her help and I kept saying, "No, I can get it." But finally, she ran around behind the wagon and gave it a hearty push as I rocked forward. Sure enough, I pulled forward out of the muck and up onto the road. I shouted, "See, I told you I could get out!" My sister laughed and said, "Yeah, with my help!"

As I enter a new year and review past pages of my life, I realize that many times I've been hopelessly stuck in a rut of my own making. I've gotten myself "in a fix" and determined that I would get out of it without any help. As time went by, and I continued "spinning my wheels," I managed only to sink deeper into the mire of my making. Finally I'd give up, and cry out to God in desperation. It was then that He answered me. Time and again, without fail, He came to my rescue and set me free. And I? Well, I'm ashamed to say it, but off I went again, with barely a look back, to recognize or acknowledge that He was the One who saved me.

Now here I am, with many years passed, my youth, with all it's health and vitality wasted on things of no eternal value. I am tempted to despair, but I won't. My Heavenly Father is a God of mercy and love. He has called me into His service and, though yesterday is gone, I still have today. I am determined to spend it on His agenda instead of my own.

My friends, all of us are on a limited journey, with each day counting down to our last. When we face our final moments and look back over the history of our lives, what will we see? We can't change our history but we can change today. We can make it count for eternity. We can make our Maker smile.

Perhaps this is not a subject we like to think about but it's one we each must face. My prayer is that today we will all choose to follow God wherever He may lead, with no reservations, no holding back, for we can never lose what we commit to His keeping and we can never fail at a task we undertake in His strength.

On our last day, it won't matter whether we are rich or poor, famous or unknown. The only treasure that will matter is what we have stored in heaven. The only thing we can take with us is our character and the knowledge that we've been faithful in doing the work God has committed to us. Then we can face our Heavenly Father and be at peace. In His Word, God bids us to "seek the Lord while He may be found." We are told that if we seek for the Lord with all our heart, we will find Him. ." (Deut. 4:29) "Today, is the day of salvation," friends. Let's not put it off until tomorrow.

Bonnie Morsette ~ 1/9/2009