The Day Set Before Us
Every day that we rise from our beds with breath in our lungs is another day the Lord has given us. Each day is filled with its own purposes that were prepared by God in advance for this time and place. Some days we welcome with joy - the starting day to a new job, graduation day, a wedding day, news of a pregnancy, the first day of Spring, and Christmas morning. Some days we welcome their normalcy - breakfast on the table, little feet running around the home, God's Word opened, daily routines, and walks in the neighborhood. But some days we aren't prepared for - the death of a loved one, a broken relationship, disappointment, natural disasters, job loss, chaos, and confusion. It's not easy to receive every day with gratitude. But when our feelings are overwhelmed by present circumstances, we can hold fast to things that are true for our days.
We live under God's sovereign care. Psalm 103:19 says, "The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules overall." God is supremely and infinitely ruling overall. Nothing happens out of His sight. He is above all and in all. The earth continues to turn on its axes because God continues to sustain it. The wind and waves even obey God (Matthew 8:27). Everything is perfectly known by God and sustained by God in His sovereign care and wisdom. We can rest assured that nothing will take Him from His throne, and He will reign for the rest of our days and forevermore.
Each day is perfectly ordained. Have you ever considered the miraculous work of being where you are? The moment of our conception alone gives credence to God's sovereign timing for your entrance into the world. Millions of eggs are produced in a woman's body, but at the right time and on the right day, a collection of cells unite causing life to begin and that life was each of us that stands here today. We were born or adopted to a specific family, living in a specific town, one day going to a specific school, meeting specific people, taking specific jobs and opportunities and living lives ordained for us. That is not happenstance. Every step we take, interaction we have, personality trait we possess, and decision we make, were all perfectly ordained by God to take place. There is no small coincidence. Psalm 139:16 confirms this truth, "Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
Every moment is part of a bigger story. Our lives are small in comparison to God's grand plan of redemption, but we must consider how God will use our lives in His story. How will we be vessels of gospel truth to those around us? How will our suffering and pain comfort someone? How will our successes serve someone? How will our lives be used for the glory of His name for generations to come? The conversations we share with the checkout clerk are purposeful. The friendship that was born from a playdate in the park has meaning. The leaky roof that causes more damage than we desired is another opportunity for us to trust God. Living through a pandemic encourages us to long for heaven when death and disease will be no more. Regardless of what our days hold, God is at work using every minute for our good and His glory. Even when that doesn't ring as loudly for us, may we be reminded of the truth and hope of Romans 8:28 which says, "We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose."
May the days set before us, no matter what they bring, encourage us to lean on our sovereign Creator who has perfectly ordained our days and woven our lives into His grand redemptive plan. May we wake each morning with anticipating posture, "Lord what will you have for me today?" and secure hope that He knows best how to fill the day set before us.
