“Today is the most important day of our lives.” – Nhat Hanh

“What you do today can change all the tomorrows of your life.” – Zig Ziglar

What are you doing today?  What are you facing, where are you heading and how will it all unfold? 

If you’re like me, most of my days seem to blend together.  It doesn’t happen with any forethought or intention, but the glue that tends to bind them together for me is found in mandatory errands and tasks, habitual thought patterns, and a longing for the security found in routine.

What do I mean by mandatory errands and tasks?  Well, most of us have a job or a school to attend that demands our time and attention.  A certain amount of time is required each day to eat, sleep, shower, etc.  Then there are errands that must be done in order to simply survive in this world like shopping for food, getting our hair cut, or putting gas in the car.

Many of us develop a system or routine that revolves around these mandatory tasks and errands.  The routines we develop give us a sense of security. Routines and rituals can have a calming, soothing effect on us – giving us a sequence or order in our lives that make us feel in control.  I’m sure many of you have a particular day you do laundry, go shopping, or take time to relax, etc.  You have a routine you follow on work/school days, errand days, and days off.  Whether you realize it or not, these routines have a way of blending the days of a week together in a cyclical fashion.  Workdays, errand days, off days – back to workdays, errand days, off days, ….and the seemingly endless cycle continues – giving a specific, particular day less meaning…. as it just seems to fit or blend into the rest as the weeks and months progress.

The way we think and the habits we form in our patterns of thought have a way of making days flow together in a mundane, unimaginative way.  I know for a fact that I think and feel differently on the day BEFORE my first day of work – quite opposite of the way I think and feel on the LAST day of the work week.  Errand days bring with them certain thought patterns compared to days I spend in leisure.  Again, whether we realize it or not, these habitual thought patterns have a way of blending the days of a week together.  In our minds, we already know what days next week we will feel good, tired, or rushed – giving the day we are in less meaning and substance.  On workdays we are thinking about off days and when the off days finally come, we spend our time dreading the upcoming workdays.

Can you personally relate to this?  Can you see how each of these factors has a way of lessening the value of today – how we see it, how we experience it, and most importantly what we do with it?

Together, let’s start looking at each day in a new and different light. Here are some things to consider:

Today is the Lord’s Day

“This is the day the Lord has made….” – Psalm 118:24 (NLT)

When mundane routines and mandatory tasks blur our days and weeks together, we tend to lose sight of how special today really is – a day the Lord has made!  It is His day, a special gift to us – not of our own creation but originating with Him.

Who caused the sun to rise this morning?  What caused you to awaken from your sleep?  What inner force kept your heart beating, your nervous system responding, and your bodily functions working as you slept?  These were not conscious choices and actions you made to keep yourself alive or to keep the world spinning on its axis. this day is the Lord’s!  He created it and it is His will that you are here one more day 🙂

When you concentrate on this, really meditate on this concept, you begin to see how special today is and what a gift it truly is!

How often do we take for granted waking up tomorrow or how often do our attitudes and reactions on a routine day lessen the prominence and reserved purpose each special day holds for us?  We falsely and casually believe the day is ours for our own doing, yet in truth, the day originates from the Father and holds a special meaning and purpose for each of us individually.  Whether a workday or errand day or day of leisure, it was designed and has a special purpose all its own.

God is Involved in Today

If indeed today is the Lord’s day, then He can be found within it and there is a divine connection to all that is and will transpire.  Think about this: If today seems common, ordinary, and useless to you (i.e. just another day), then why would an extraordinary God, a God whose actions are filled with intent and purpose, give you life today?  What extraordinary or purposeful plan does God have in mind for you?  What special thing does He want you to accomplish or learn today = to share with someone else?

When you rest in the idea that today is from the Lord, that He is intricately involved in it, and there is a divine connection to all that unfolds within it, you begin to live differently.  When you realize it’s not just another workday or errand day but a special, purposeful day all on its own, you awaken with a renewed feeling of excitement and enthusiasm.  You begin each day asking God to show you HIS PATH and PURPOSE.  You begin to see the divine connection within the routine and mundane.  You start to look for God’s promptings and His direction in simple, little things like who you meet at the grocery store, what you talk about with the kids on the way to dropping them off at school, and the difficult project facing you at work right now.  Each day becomes a special gift filled with new opportunities 🙂 If God has given you today, then He has something special attached to it.  If He has created today, then He is intricately involved in all that happens – helping you with each issue you face.  If your day is filled with hurt, suffering or sickness, you know God has a divine purpose and plan within the pain – that ultimately goodness, mercy and grace are connected to it.  

Today is the Epicenter of Life

In an earthquake, the epicenter is the central focal point of where the earth’s crust has begun to shift.  It is at this point that the greatest shock waves are felt – reverberating outward and weakening as they move away from the epicenter itself.

I love how God has created EACH DAY to be an epicenter all its own.  What you do TODAY is at the very heart of your life!  It transcends all that has happened in the past – giving you a fresh start and a new beginning.  What you decide to do with today can begin shock waves in your life that will be felt for months and years to come!

But what happens if you mess up?  What happens if you fail to use today wisely – seeing it as a gift from the Creator with divine meaning and purpose? Well, God willing, He gives us another day – a day that has an epicenter all its own again!  Maybe that day is TODAY for you – giving even greater meaning to how much of a gift each day really is 🙂

Today, let’s create some shock waves in our own lives.  Let’s wake up realizing that today is a tremendous gift – a day the Lord has made 🙂 May we be constantly reminded that He is intricately involved within it – ready and able to help us as we face any obstacle, burden or blessing it brings.  May He help us to individually see the divine connection and purpose He has in mind for today – what He needs us to accomplish or learn as the day unfolds.  Most importantly, may He help us to see how today and every day, is the epicenter of life itself – giving us the wisdom and power to make a difference in all we do and every life we touch.

God bless!