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Wednesday, February 5, 2014

This Very Day

Photo: www.allblackwoman.com
I keep forgetting that I can live my life in only one way--one day at a time.
God knows this, but I often don't.
Sure, I know all the repetitive tasks that need to be done every day--making beds, dishes, going to work, caring for children, preparing meals--as well as the ones I sneak in from my to-do list--clean the hall closet, take a meal to Mary. But one thing never appears on my list: consecrate my life to God.
I need to intentionally give my life to Christ the same way I carefully plan everything else--every day.

I don't decide to follow Christ once for all. I do it every day, every hour, with every breath. 
I know this is true whenever I open my mouth and decide to lie or speak an unkind word. I decided for myself in that moment, not for God.
I know this is true whenever I raise my hand for a third piece of cake or to push away annoyance or embrace frustration. I decided for myself, not for God.

God intends for us to live like this--to be constantly aware of the need to choose Him with every thought, every action, every word.
I have to live every day aware that I live it before the Lord.

Decide this day who you will serve--Joshua 24:15

This day is important to God. I looked it up. My concordance has nearly 1500 instances where it uses the word 'day', and many of them have numbers. They're all over the place.

At dawn the first day of the week--Matthew 28:1
On the first day, hold a sacred assembly--Exodus 12:16 
The second day of the month he did not eat--1Samuel 20:34
On the third day, He will rise again--Luke 18:33
On the fourth day, they assembled in the valley--2Chronicles 20:26
On the fifth day, prepare nine  bulls--Numbers 29:26
On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much--Exodus 16:22
On the seventh day, hold a festival--Exodus 13:6
The seventh day will be your holy day--Exodus 35:2
On the eighth day, when it was time--Luke 2:21
The evening of the ninth day of the month--Leviticus 23:32
On the tenth day of the seventh month--Leviticus 23:27
On the twelfth day of the first month, we set out--Ezra 8:31
On a single day, the thirteenth day--Esther 3:13
On the fourteenth day of the first month--Leviticus 23:5
On the fifteenth day of that month--Leviticus 23:6
On the seventeenth day of the second month--Exodus 16:1
On the twentieth day of the second month--Numbers 10:1
On the twenty-fourth day of the first month--Daniel 10:4
On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month--2Kings 25:27
The day after Passover, that very day--Joshua 5:11
By this time the day after tomorrow--1Samuel 20:5
I will raise him up on the last day--John 6:40

The Bible is a book of single days--not all of them rolled up together and put before us as eternity, but individual days, written one at a time, exactly as we live them. Its stories have not happened in a hazy, non-specific past, but with detailed what, who, where, and when, just like ours.

I did not know this morning when I got up whether this day would be significant in the story of my life or whether my choices would be life-altering for somebody else. But I do know where the day came from--
 This is the day the Lord has made--Psalm 118:26
 and what I am supposed to do with it.
Teach us to number our days--Psalm 90:12

This is the day I am to use my free will to choose Christ.
This is the day I am to consecrate to God.
This is the day I decide to be holy, one act, one word, one thought at a time.

This day. This day. This very day.

14 comments:

  1. I need to put the last paragraph on my mirror. How often I neglect that this it's a day the Lord has made

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    1. Why do we so often have our eyes on the next thing rather than what's right in front of us? Sigh. But it's good to hear from you. Blessings.

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  2. Over the years, I've learned to slow down and take in not just each day, but even the moments that seem to fly by normally. I started a daily gratitude list over 2 years ago. By recognizing those things that I never noticed in the rush of the day I have found more joy in my life. I still have times that I forget to write in my list, but I always attempt to get back on track.It has been life-changing for me! Have a blessed day!
    Ann @ Christ in the Clouds
    http://christintheclouds.blogspot.com/

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    1. I had to smile to think that, in forgetting to write in your list sometimes, you are probably accomplishing exactly what the list was designed to do--appreciating the present moments too much to stop to write! Thanks for your insight.

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  3. Beautiful bedrock wisdom. And is it not true that if I am consecrating each day, each task, each errand, each choice to Him, to follow His will and honor Him in it, that each of those mundane, "unimportant" things becomes precious in His sight and well worth the doing, and doing as well as He enables me to do them? Isn't it our chase after showy accomplishments and human recognition that most often makes us lose sight of how important this very day is? I really like how you pointed out all those separate individual days mentioned in scripture, too. Thanks. You made my day, this very day! (smile)

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    1. Sylvia! So glad you are smiling! So glad to hear your delight. Thanks for your encouragement on the journey.

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  4. Very well put! I am always jumping ahead, only to be slammed back into reality with one day at a time pace...

    I'm going to share this with a new link up, Salt & Light, where bloggers are asked to share links that encouraged and inspired them, that they didn't write. I'd love for you to stop by during the week and get some encouragement ;)

    http://raysofgraceandjoy.blogspot.com

    Marissa D

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    1. Marissa, thanks both for your encouragement and the sharing. I'm on my way to Ways of Grace right now.

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  5. with each and every breath
    yes, this

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  6. Excellent post, JoAnne! The enemy wants us to become apathetic to our days, rather than choosing to serve God each day, as you say, and realizing that each day is a GIFT from Him. Have a blessed week!

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    1. Apathetic to our days...I never thought about it like that. Thanks for your insight. Blessings to you, too.

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  7. This is my daily battle ; learning to slow down and just be... found you on the blog hop and am so glad I did!! Your blog is wonderful and I am now following. Hoping You'll stop by and say hi sometime. Wanderlust-wishlist.blogspot.com

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    1. To slow down and just be..yes, ma'am Thanks so much and yes, I will stop by...this very day. :)

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