The Gift of Each Day - by Susan Ferguson

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24 KJV)

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “We are always getting ready to live but never living.” I must confess I’ve spent a lot of time living for the next vacation and waiting for life to finally run smoothly. I do not greet my typical day, with its checklist of chores to be completed, with much enthusiasm. With God’s help, I’m learning to live more in the present and view each day as a gift from God.

Jesus teaches us that children have divine qualities that we need to recognize and follow. Children live as if there is no past or future; they simply enjoy the present. They welcome each new day, making the most of every minute. By living in the future, we put off living until later. God wants us to live joyfully and to enjoy the day He has given us. Each day is a gift from God, and we will never have this day again.

Some people dwell on the past and are haunted by bad choices and mistakes. Their thoughts are consumed with what could have been, or what they should have done. If left unchecked, dwelling on the past not only steals the present but can zap the joy of living. Our Heavenly Father wants us to live an abundant life in Christ, a life that grows in Him, a life that depends on Him, and a life of joy and peace.

Today’s freelance writer is a bookkeeper by day, a writer by night, and lives with her husband in Madison, MS, USA. Contact