Abide in Christ
by Andrew Murray
Day by Day
"And the people shall go out and gather the portion of a day in his day." - Ex. 26:4
"And the people shall go out and gather the portion of a day in his day." - Ex. 26:4
"We are so easily led to look at life as a great whole, and to neglect the little today, to forget that the single days do indeed make up the whole, and the value of each single day depends on its influence on the whole."
I am a planner. I like things in order. I make lists. I check things off. I love looking ahead to my calendar for the next month and already see things listed there. I like to see the big picture, but when I do, I miss the little details. I am already looking at my list at this moment, and realizing that I have yet to check anything off and it is already noon! That is NOT the Christian way to abide. I have tried it. I have tried to think of a faithful life and the only thing I get is overwhelmed. What an encouragement to someone like me today!? Murray reminds us that God made the day (and night). He did not give us our whole life all in one, long, never ending day. He broke it up into smaller, 24-hour days. He gives us the grace for today. Nothing more, nothing less. Just as the children of Israel gathered manna for just that day, God provides the ability to work at the abiding ONE day at a time. I need not worry about my list. I need not stress over tomorrow's duties. I need only to bend my head down and do the work today. If nothing on my list is accomplished today, and yet I spend time in God's word and had the right reactions to situations, today was a success. Do not look at your day's success by the number of check marks. Look to how your heart was knit with Christ's and the joys and happiness that followed you today.
Lord, I give you my list. I know I cannot do any of it without You. Let me just abide in You today and get done what I get done. Amen.
I am a planner. I like things in order. I make lists. I check things off. I love looking ahead to my calendar for the next month and already see things listed there. I like to see the big picture, but when I do, I miss the little details. I am already looking at my list at this moment, and realizing that I have yet to check anything off and it is already noon! That is NOT the Christian way to abide. I have tried it. I have tried to think of a faithful life and the only thing I get is overwhelmed. What an encouragement to someone like me today!? Murray reminds us that God made the day (and night). He did not give us our whole life all in one, long, never ending day. He broke it up into smaller, 24-hour days. He gives us the grace for today. Nothing more, nothing less. Just as the children of Israel gathered manna for just that day, God provides the ability to work at the abiding ONE day at a time. I need not worry about my list. I need not stress over tomorrow's duties. I need only to bend my head down and do the work today. If nothing on my list is accomplished today, and yet I spend time in God's word and had the right reactions to situations, today was a success. Do not look at your day's success by the number of check marks. Look to how your heart was knit with Christ's and the joys and happiness that followed you today.
Lord, I give you my list. I know I cannot do any of it without You. Let me just abide in You today and get done what I get done. Amen.
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