The Days of Our Lives - Rev. Dr. Chris Gnanakan

There have been times in my life when, like Job I’ve felt my days are spent so fast and full of hopelessness – ‘My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and they come to an end without hope’ (Job 7:6). There are other times, emerging from a daunting situation, I’ve earnestly prayed with Moses: ‘Lord, teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom’ (Ps.90:12). Someone has calculated that if an average life can be put into one day-time starting at 7 am, then at 11:30am I would be 20 years, at 6:30 pm- 50 years, 8:45 pm- 60 year and soon… it would be time to go to bed!

God’s Word, recommends a 7-fold ‘daily’ plan for our lives that gives it meaning, purpose and importantly brings Him pleasure day-by-day. Let me list these Bible verses that instruct us to make every day a day for: Meditation God expects believers not to walk with the ungodly, stand in the way of sinner or sit with scoffers, but positively delight in his law; mediating on it day and night (Ps.1:1,2).

Joshua, the leader of God’s people Israel, noted that true success comes from daily staying in the Scriptures – ‘Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful’ (Josh 1:8). The believers at Berea are considered nobler because they searched the Scripture daily to verify what God was saying, even though the Apostle Paul was the preacher (Acts 17:11).

Christians deem God’s word as their daily bread. Intercession Christians not only listen to God daily but also speak to him on behalf of others who need his help. The Psalmist underlines our obligation to daily call on God in prayer (Ps.88:9). Prayer is aptly said to be the believer’s spiritual breathe for life. Celebration God is known to dwell in the midst of the praises of his people.

Whenever God’s children get together there is ample cause for praise for who he is, and thanksgiving for what he has done (2 Chron. 30:21). Each day is a good day to ‘celebrate’ God! There is something therapeutic about worshipful praise – ‘A cheerful heart is good medicine’ (Pr.17:22). One cannot have a pity party and praise party at the same time (try it!) Submission I find it increasingly difficult to talk on submission in our individualistic age with all its equal rights movements.

However, Christian living has to do with selfless sacrifice or as Paul puts it, dying ‘daily‘ to oneself. The spirit of submission is always the spirit of Christ Jesus who categorically declared: ‘If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me’ (Lk.9:23). Exhortation There is so much in our daily newspapers that discourage us! People around us often are ready to find fault and quick to condemn us! The writer to the Hebrews talks about the need for believers to exhort one another daily – ‘But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness’ (Heb 3:13).

Each day I look forward to meeting up with people who inspire me to be the best I can be and often this happen through the little things they do; like a word of appreciation or a simple smile! Evangelization Some people tend to bring the worst out of us; and everyday we hear of bad news. Yet we Christians have been entrusted with the gospel – good news that day after day brings hope into our world.

In the early Church (Acts 5:42), being a witness was not a Sunday affair. This holy handful of believers was committed to sharing their faith daily and wherever they went. They set the pattern and pace as to what it means to be ‘in the world but not of this world yet sent to the world, to win the lost at any cost!’ Salvation Finally, 2 Cor.6:2 reminds all of us that ‘now’ is the time and day of salvation. Today, if God’s Spirit is speaking saying, ’turn from your sinful ways and trust Christ as Savior’, we must not harden our hearts. While it is yet today, let us receive Jesus’ offer of salvation. It’s true that life has to be lived one day at a time. So, let’s live each day as if it is our last day because, as we all know, one of these days will be our last!