AS IF IT WERE MY ONLY DAY

This thought is akin to a person in the hospital who has just been told s/he will only live until tomorrow. If they have full possession of their mind, how would they dedicate their last hours? Naturally they want their loved ones to be with them, but what else?

Sort of like a one-day vacation after weeks of toil, what if somehow you knew that today or tomorrow would be your only day to do whatever you desire. We always planned our vacations, usually in some detail. That allowed us to look forward to them with specific thoughts in mind. But if something told you that you only have one day to leave a real legacy on earth, how would you handle it?

I would have to think quickly of how best to use the time. Would I seek pleasure, or think about the welfare of others? As Christians we have been given the inside track to God’s spiritual grace. Should we use this one day to share it? It would take a dedicated person to do that. There are so many other ways to spend the time. We would want our friends and loved ones to remember us as a loving person, not one always complaining. So much to do and think about, so little time. Since we are never told when will be our last day, shouldn’t every day be like this? Every day people die from accidents or sudden illness. Most people believe they will live on and on, but many will not.

I admit that though I would like to live each day in doing something to bring another person to Christ, there are too many distractions. No matter what the thought, other ideas will push it into the corner. Even morning prayer for guidance does not keep me on track long enough to accomplish what I think should be done. Often useful ideas simply will not come. But when reading something, in the Bible or elsewhere, ideas do surface.

But if I had only one day to do this, I think that somehow I would accomplish a lot. Perhaps each of us should test ourselves in just concentrating on spreading the Word during six of our eighteen waking hours. Such concentration with much prayer even one time might surprise us in what is accomplished. We could phone someone, write a note, or meet with others for prayer. This article may be an example. This morning I prayed that today I would accomplish something for Christ. Is this it? I may never know, but if this effort brings only one more person closer to Christ, it will be worth it.

Christians have so much to be thankful for, the greatest being salvation. I should be easy to share the message of this wonderful gift of our Lord. Also we have so much else to thank Him for. I say perhaps a dozen little one-line prayers of thanks each day, as a specific blessing comes to mind. If I took the time to get on my knees to express thanks, few such little prayers would happen. Instead I just thank him as the thought comes. I would keep doing this if there was only one day. I really do often think about not waiting another day to do something useful for Christ. Still I may accomplish nothing that day. But I haven’t really dedicated the day to Him nor concentrated on it.