It seems one of the most important lessons that we can learn in life is to “Live One Day at time.” We can know this, but as a rule we have difficulty obeying it. Even those in the secular world stress the importance of “Living One Day at a Time.” Most alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs emphasize the importance of “Living One Day at a Time.”

Jesus encouraged us to focus on today. The Bible says, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew_6:34) The Bible also says, "This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.”(Psalms_118:24) How many times have we said or thought -- “If only there were more hours in a day.” We may have varying amounts of money or talent, but each one of us haste same amount of time. As we know there are 24 hours, 1,440minutes or 86,400 seconds in a day.

Time has been referred to as grains of gold. This should help us realize the importance of each precious second. Paul told the Ephesians, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil, Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians_5:15-17) Instead of “Redeeming the time,” the NIV says, “Making the most of every opportunity.”We all know how quickly a day can go by. The Bible says, “So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom”. (Psalms_90:12) Therefore it is important how we spend our time.

Benjamin Franklin said, “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for time is the stuff life is made of”. Only the things we do for God will really matter. We ought to live each day as though it were our last one on earth. If you knew you had only one day to live, how would you live it? So often, we do have other people telling us how to spend our day. Sometimes we don’t have control over our day, especially if we are still employed. But think about how you spend your precious grains of gold.

In a recent ladies’ class the ladies were asked to write down the things they did on a typical day in their life. Then they were asked to write what an ideal day would be for them. Needless to say their answers were different. Are we guilty of putting off until tomorrow what we should do today? Are we also guilty of wasting time? The Bible says, “Go to now, ye that say, today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow, for what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and thenvanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this or that”. (James_4:13-14)

Our main considerations for the use of time should include the following two questions. (1) How do we spend our day? (2) Do we spend our day worrying about the past, or the future, to the extent we don’t enjoy today?

The author of the following is unknown to me. Meditate. “This is a new day. I have been given this day to use as I will. I can waste it or use it for good. What I do today is important, because I am exchanging a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes this day will be gone forever, leaving in its place whatever I have traded for it. I pledge to myself that it shall be gain, not loss; good, not evil; and success, not failure, in order that I shall not regret the price I paid for this day”.

Keep in mind. In addition to Bible teaching, the popular song, “One Day at a Time” is also a reminder to us to “Just Live One Day at a Time”.

©June Franks