“This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Psalm 118:24 (RSV)
Jesus advised us to keep our hearts, minds and over all focus on the present day, as He is quoted in Matthew chapter 6, saying,
“Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Which of you, by being anxious, can add a single hour to his span of life?” That’s pretty strong advice to stay focused on this present day.
It reminds me of a short prayer that I start each day with, called the “Permission prayer,” which goes like this,
“Lord, I give you permission to use me today in any way you desire, and show me your hand in action, so that I can give you all the glory.”
This prayer keeps the focus on today, and what God wants to do this day, instead of thinking about all the things we need to do. It makes us revolve around God’s perfect timing, instead of ours. When unexpected obstacles hinder me from accomplishing what I planned to accomplish during the day, I pause and say, “Okay Lord, thank you for your perfect timing.”
Only we can surrender ourselves to permit God to use us as He chooses. He gave us free will, and He never forces anyone to seek His purpose. When we offer Him our words, our hands, and our path, for the day, He works in our hearts and minds to fulfill His purpose. Then exciting things start to happen, because God has people to introduce us to and plans to unfold, by using us.
He may bring someone into our path, so that we show them some simple act of kindness. We might otherwise be oblivious to that particular person, if we didn’t first pray and offer ourselves to be used by God during the day. It’s so fulfilling to know that something special awaits us because this is the day that the Lord has made.
While sitting at the table, visiting nursing home residents this week, I noticed a very tall young man walking around in the large Day room. He walked back and forth looking kind of lonely and lost, and I never saw him before. He struck my attention because he was not only a young man but even taller than my son, Jon, who is 6’4.”
I called him over to talk to him and introduce myself, inviting him to pull up a chair and he seemed happy to speak to someone, although his speech was slurred and required repeating. He is 6’6” tall and 28 years old. For his privacy I will call him Muhammad. He said he’s been living in that Nursing home for 5 months, but I never saw him before.
Muhammad told me he has Wilson’s disease, which is a rare genetic illness where copper builds up in the body, causing damage to the brain, nerves and liver. The liver is the organ that removes unused amounts of copper in healthy people, but it’s unable to remove copper in one out of 30,000 people with the rare Wilson’s disease.
It is treated with medication, but I don’t know much more about it or the prognosis. Muhammad has some difficulty articulating his words, and a slight tremor in his hands, but he is very polite and sociable. He also told me that he used to teach autistic children for a living. Now he lives in a Nursing home and his mother visits him, so I hope to meet her one day.
I told him about my son, Jon, who was taking a nap in his room while I was visiting that day. I hope someday to introduce Jon and Muhammad to each other.
That same day was also the day that Jon put his hoodie jacket on all by himself, which was a first for him. It was really the day that the Lord has made, by introducing me to the newest and youngest resident at the Nursing home, and showing me Jon’s latest progress in dressing himself.
To focus on the present day, as Jesus advised, removes our attention from our problems and shows us the new things to be grateful for. When we start each day with the belief that God cares for us enough to bring joy to our day through others, it makes every day an adventure.
The residents in a Nursing home have no choice but to live one day at a time. None of them can make a single plan for their future, and any satisfaction that they get, comes in the blessing of the present day that the Lord has made. Muhammad made a new friend that day, and Jon put his jacket on by himself, which brought joy into their day and mine.
If we, who are living independently and in good health, can find as much joy in the present day, as the residents in Nursing homes do, we will discover the joy of living in the present day that the Lord has made.
Lord, make us aware that you make each day special, by the people you bring people into our day, restoring our joy with gratitude. Amen
