Daily
or The Power of the Daily Life p.s. Francis Chan
Back in around the end of May this year, and honestly all throughout my first year in college but especially in May, God led me on one of the most shadow-of-death-looking valley that I am now grateful to have walked through in my nineteen and a half years of living. My goal that I set for myself for the past Spring semester was that I would grow in my character; considering Romans 5:3–5. But, because my semester goal ended in character and did not proceed all the way to hope that does not put me to shame, I utterly failed and ended up with a deeper understanding that I cannot do anything apart from Him.
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Romans 5:5
One day, after I fainted in the day of adversity, I had to call my dad to pick me up from Auria late at night due to my vehicle’s undercarriage being ripped off halfway, which was scarping the floor every time I drove. On our way back home, I was very bitter, angry and sad, so I cried and complained to my dad how life is so unfair. Afterwards, when we got home, he told me this one advice that changed the way I live. He told me to take life day by day. At that moment, I was more bitter, angry and sad. How was I supposed to know what my immigrant father, who worked fourteen hour shifts everyday while still attending morning prayer faithfully for a year or two, said was credible? All in all, I am not trying to give glory to another soul or tell you how bad my day was. I say all of this to focus on that advice; to live day to day.
The followings are couple verses that talk about the importance of today. Hopefully this is not too much scripture for you all (those who know).
The Lord’s Prayer
Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them, “When you pray, say:
“Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”Luke 11:1–4
When the unnamed disciple asked Jesus how to pray, He gave him a prayer with assumption that they were to pray daily.
Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Luke 9:23
Jesus calls his disciples to deny themselves and take up their cross daily.
Do Not Be Anxious
Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 6:34
Self-explanatory
This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.Psalm 118:24
And so many more verses that are written in the Book of Psalm, Proverbs, Pauline Epistles and some more that talks about the importance of today.
Gratitude (Perspective-Change)
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily
Colossians 2:6–9
To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who reads this…
Paul’s Letter to the Church of Colossians, which was planted by Epaphras during Paul’s ministry in Ephesus, was written while Paul was imprisoned for the first time in Rome. Because false doctrines and threat to the faith of the saints there, Epaphras visited Paul to share with him the ache in his heart for the church, and as a response, Paul wrote this letter. Supposedly the false teaching that was spreading in the Church of Colossians is called Colossians Heresy, which basically said Jesus is not the pioneer and the perfecter of our faith.
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The verse above shows the way Paul wanted them to live instead of counterfeits such as philosophy, wisdom, empty religion, traditions or other elemental spirits (idk what that is), but only according to Christ. And he addresses the church to walk, love, establish faith and give thanks.
They, and we as well, can give thanks because we have all that we need in Christ, and I believe that this is the most underrated gift that became too “elementary” for us; for me at least. As Paul advises the Church to abound in thanksgiving, even in the midst of fighting against false doctrines and the lie that we trick us to consider that we need something more than Jesus Himself, I believe he is pointing us to the bigger, divine and Godly perspective in our lives and our conducts. Do you know what I mean? We really have been deceived by the subtle lie to think that we have too much on our plate (what if that in itself is the lie that having too much on our plate is bad when Jesus invites us to feast.. idk but ill allow anyone to take my idea to their canvas).
I understand that for some people, there are genuine worries caused by the desire to not create grief in their lives and for others, but He is aquatinted with those. There also might be those who have been burdened to take care for others at a young age, resulting in them being overly-cautious and self dependent. But what will it profit us if we gain all the trust and safety we desire, but lose our soul from never abiding in the Prince of Peace, who makes our souls whole by the His wounds? We never even deserved our lives in the first place, yet with our stupidity, we make things worse for ourselves by making us the center and our perspectives the truth. This distracts us from living by The Truth that tells (sheesh that alliteration) us.
As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.Isaiah 55:9
I do not want to downplay the hurts for some, but I also do not want to undermine the greatness of God. Faith should not be secondary if we were called to walk by it, and sight should not be primary if we were called to walk not by sight.
Conclusion & (ig) Exhortation
But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin… As it is said,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”Hebrews 3:13&15
As long as it is called today, I want to exhort those who would take time to read my silly writing, to not harden your hearts by the deceitfulness of sin in this world and in our heads, for today is the day that the Lord has made. I pray that all you guys will really give thanks, rejoice and be glad in this day. I really cannot emphasize this point enough because I am getting excited for the mercies that are going to be new tomorrow morning and the ways that I am going to encounter Him tomorrow.
God bless you guys and your future spouses, in Jesus’ name I pray Amen!
