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Who are you Now?
Not one of us will wake up tomorrow.Every time we wake up, it will be today. It is always now, it is never later.We can’t do anything later; we can only do things now.
The question is not who you were or who you hope to be, but who are you now?Life can only be lived now, not tomorrow, or yesterday.Yesterday and tomorrow are hiding places.We only live now, we only love now (or not), we only forgive now (or not).We can begin to change now, or choose not to change.The things we choose to do now become our lives tomorrow.
Now is an important moment. Let’s look at a few passages on the subject.
Take care, brothers,
lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart,
leading you to fall away from the living God.
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.
For we have come to share in Christ,
if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
As it is said,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as in the rebellion.”
Hebrews 3:12-15 [ESV]
Now is the Time to Listen
When we dwell on yesterday or tomorrow or someday we live our lives in what amounts to a delusional state. God always speaks to us now. And if we hear the voice of God now we need to respond now, tomorrow will be too late. But it gets worse, if we refuse to listen we don’t just miss an opportunity, we harden our hearts against the voice of God. A hard heart will not obey, until it becomes so hard it does not hear at all.
Today is the only day we can encourage each other to hear God.
But hearing is not just perceiving sound waves, it is responding as Paul reminds the church at Corinth.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ,
God making his appeal through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
For he says,
"I heard you at the acceptable time,
and in the day of salvation I helped you."
Look, now is the acceptable time;
look, now is the day of salvation!
II Corinthians 6:2 [New English Translation (NET)]
Now is the Time to Believe
We live every moment of our lives in the now. Saying later is just another way of saying no. Our spiritual journey can not be completed now, but if we don’t take the next step of our spiritual journey now, we are no longer on a spiritual journey. Our journey is a series of steps in faith. Each moment we take a step of faith or we take a step away from the source of life. Christianity is directional. We are either walking toward Jesus or we are walking away from him. We make that choice every moment, we make that choice now.
It is tempting to argue, “I’m not a monk, I have responsibilities, I have bills to pay” so do we all. But Jesus does not let us wiggle out of our responsibility to God that easily. Consider these words from the Sermon on the Mount.
Why do you worry about clothing?
Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin.
Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! And if this is how God clothes the wild grass,
which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven,
won't he clothe you even more, you people of little faith?
So then, don't worry saying,
'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?'
For the unconverted pursue these things,
and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.
So then, do not worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Today has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:28-34[New English Translation(NET)]
Get full access to On walking the Way at tompossin.substack.com/subscribe
Now is the Time to Act
This is a subject that encourages and frightens me at the same time. On the one hand it is an encouragement to act, and act now. And on the other, Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow and all its pressing needs, because, Our Father knows our needs and will take care of us.
So how do I live now? I try to keep my eyes focused on where God has me now and who God has put in my path. I try to keep my ears open to His voice. I remember the past but I try not to live there. I think of the future, but I try to remember the future is the fruit of what I do now.
So, as Paul said, let’s encourage each other while it is called today. Let’s encourage each other to make the most of today. Encouraging each other to seek God’s kingdom, love people, choose to forgive, and be thankful now — today. Because tomorrow never comes.
Have a great week!
Get full access to On walking the Way at tompossin.substack.com/subscribe
View all episodes
By Tom PossinNot one of us will wake up tomorrow.Every time we wake up, it will be today. It is always now, it is never later.We can’t do anything later; we can only do things now.
The question is not who you were or who you hope to be, but who are you now?Life can only be lived now, not tomorrow, or yesterday.Yesterday and tomorrow are hiding places.We only live now, we only love now (or not), we only forgive now (or not).We can begin to change now, or choose not to change.The things we choose to do now become our lives tomorrow.
Now is an important moment. Let’s look at a few passages on the subject.
Take care, brothers,
lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart,
leading you to fall away from the living God.
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.
For we have come to share in Christ,
if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
As it is said,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as in the rebellion.”
Hebrews 3:12-15 [ESV]
Now is the Time to Listen
When we dwell on yesterday or tomorrow or someday we live our lives in what amounts to a delusional state. God always speaks to us now. And if we hear the voice of God now we need to respond now, tomorrow will be too late. But it gets worse, if we refuse to listen we don’t just miss an opportunity, we harden our hearts against the voice of God. A hard heart will not obey, until it becomes so hard it does not hear at all.
Today is the only day we can encourage each other to hear God.
But hearing is not just perceiving sound waves, it is responding as Paul reminds the church at Corinth.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ,
God making his appeal through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
For he says,
"I heard you at the acceptable time,
and in the day of salvation I helped you."
Look, now is the acceptable time;
look, now is the day of salvation!
II Corinthians 6:2 [New English Translation (NET)]
Now is the Time to Believe
We live every moment of our lives in the now. Saying later is just another way of saying no. Our spiritual journey can not be completed now, but if we don’t take the next step of our spiritual journey now, we are no longer on a spiritual journey. Our journey is a series of steps in faith. Each moment we take a step of faith or we take a step away from the source of life. Christianity is directional. We are either walking toward Jesus or we are walking away from him. We make that choice every moment, we make that choice now.
It is tempting to argue, “I’m not a monk, I have responsibilities, I have bills to pay” so do we all. But Jesus does not let us wiggle out of our responsibility to God that easily. Consider these words from the Sermon on the Mount.
Why do you worry about clothing?
Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin.
Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! And if this is how God clothes the wild grass,
which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven,
won't he clothe you even more, you people of little faith?
So then, don't worry saying,
'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?'
For the unconverted pursue these things,
and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.
So then, do not worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Today has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:28-34[New English Translation(NET)]
Get full access to On walking the Way at tompossin.substack.com/subscribe
Now is the Time to Act
This is a subject that encourages and frightens me at the same time. On the one hand it is an encouragement to act, and act now. And on the other, Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow and all its pressing needs, because, Our Father knows our needs and will take care of us.
So how do I live now? I try to keep my eyes focused on where God has me now and who God has put in my path. I try to keep my ears open to His voice. I remember the past but I try not to live there. I think of the future, but I try to remember the future is the fruit of what I do now.
So, as Paul said, let’s encourage each other while it is called today. Let’s encourage each other to make the most of today. Encouraging each other to seek God’s kingdom, love people, choose to forgive, and be thankful now — today. Because tomorrow never comes.
Have a great week!
Get full access to On walking the Way at tompossin.substack.com/subscribe