Devotional: Living One Day at a Time

by Linda Walton

PSALM

Psalm 118:14-24, King James Version (KJV)

14 The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.

15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.

16 The right hand of the Lord is exalted: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.

17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.

18 The Lord hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord:

20 This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter.

21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

23 This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

24 This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

 SCRIPTURE

Matthew 6:19-21 King James Version (KJV)

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

REFLECTION

I have often thought I needed to know all of God's will for me for my entire future. I worry about how I will handle myself in any given situation (which may or may not occur). This includes good times as well as bad. It can sometimes be obsessive thinking. But as the scripture says, these 'treasures' that I am storing in my brain can corrupt my attitude, my thoughts and my life.

In the context of living one day at a time, I have to trust that God will give me what I need; the right decisions, the proper understanding, the right qualities such as courage or strength to carry out His will at the moment it is needed. I really don't have room in my psyche to store all the answers.

God, however, has the answers to all the conditions I will ever face. So I don't need to have a storehouse. I need to cultivate the assurance that the right response, choice or decision will come to me at the time it is needed, because all of it rests with God.

~ Linda Walton

HYMN

 
Forever, by Chris Tomlin (click here to play on YouTube)

Give thanks to the Lord our God and King,
His love endures forever.
For He is good He is above all things,
His love endures forever.
Sing Praise, Sing Praise.

With a mighty hand and outstretched arm,
His love endures forever.
For the life that's been reborn,
His love endure forever.
Sing Praise, Sing Praise.

Forever God is faithful,
Forever God is strong.
Forever God is with us,
Forever

From the rising to the setting sun,
His love endures forever.
And by the grace of God we will carry on,
His love endures forever.
Sing Praise, Sing Praise

Forever You are faithful,
Forever You are strong.
Forever You are with us,
Forever and ever, forever.

His love endures forever,
His love endures forever,
His love endures forever.


PRAYERS

Let us Pray:

Free our hearts O God to take things one day at a time.

Remove from us the need to be all that we planned for ourselves and help us surrender to what you can be in us.

Give us strength and clarity to walk in your will for us and to trust in you.

Remind us that your peace is a gift.

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

Collect - For Quiet Confidence (BCP p. 832)

O God of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee, to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou art God; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.