TURNING THE PAGES

By Shirley Wiggins

Life can be likened to a calendar.  It is lived day by day.   What we do each day is important, because at the end of the day many of us just turn the calendar page and move our unfinished to-do list to the next day:  tomorrow.

Tomorrow we will do those things we did not finish today.  But, sometimes my daily to-do list gets drowned in the trivia that eats up the days of my life.

The turning of the page represents for me the turning from today to tomorrow – the leaving behind of all the yesterdays.

When “today” turns in to tomorrow, the “new today,” what will happen to all the things not done yesterday, the “old today”?

I find it amazing how quickly the end of the year comes – from New Year’s Day to New Year’s Eve!   And, now I begin to wonder about those daily things I needed to do, and wanted to do, that somehow were never finished, nor perhaps ever even started. 

Sobering thought:  we cannot go back to this today once it comes to its end.  Just like turning the pages on this year’s calendar – once turned you can’t go back to that day:  there are no do-overs once the day has ended.

Tomorrow somehow becomes today – the “new”  today.  The “old”  today is now relegated to yesterday.

Yesterday, today, and tomorrow – the way we measure our time.

Reflectively, today  I turn around to see my yesterdays…pondering the possibilities that never became realities.

Oh, my!  There is that one thing:  that particular thing I always thought I would finish!   But, I haven’t.  It always seemed to get shuffled off to tomorrow, always tomorrow.

That thing that haunts my unfulfilled longings – that one thing that reminds me, “I am not ready for my last  today: the day when there are no more tomorrows for me.”

 Time is short and it will run out.  Eternity is forever.

No tomorrows are promised, only anticipated. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  Hebrews 13:8.

 Oh, how we take “tomorrow” for granted!

Yesterday, I was young.  Today, I am older.   Tomorrow, I will be …?

If I knew today was my Day with no tomorrow, what would I do today?

“How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow?  Your life is like the morning fog – it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.”  James 4:14 (NLT). 

Today is my gift from God – what will I do today?

Friend, have you done that One Most Important Thing?  Have you settled where you will spend Eternity?  Have you been born again?

“For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end.  Your  new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.  As the Scriptures say, ‘People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field.  The grass withers and the flower fades.  But the word of the Lord remains forever.’  And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.”  1 Peter 1:23-25.

Have you heard the Good News?

This is the Good News that Jesus came to tell:

“… Jesus went into Galilee, where He preached God’s Good News.  ‘The time promised by God has come at last!' He announced.  ‘The Kingdom of God is near!  Repent of your sins and believe the Good News.’”  Mark 1:14 -15.

Both the apostle Peter, and then the apostle Paul, preached the same message:

“Peter replied, ‘Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away – all who have been called by the Lord our God..”  Acts 2:38-40.

“…But now He (God) commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to Him.  For He has set a day for judging the world with justice by the Man He has appointed, and He proved to everyone who this is by raising Him (Jesus) from the dead.”  Acts 17:30b-31.

“I (Paul) have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike – the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.”  Acts. 20:21.

“Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”  John 3:3.

“For this is how God loved the world:  He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.  God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.  There is no judgment against anyone who believes in Him.  But anyone who does not believe in Him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.  And the judgment is based on this fact:  God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.”  John 3:16-19.

“But to all who believed Him and accepted Him (Jesus), He gave the right to become children of God.  They are reborn – not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.”  John 1:12-13.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.  It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.  God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17.

If you aren’t a child of God, your salvation and security are not settled.  Seek the face of God, through His Son, Jesus Christ, and settle your eternal destination today.

No one is prepared to live until they are prepared to die.

What will you do today?