Every Day Is a Gift
Life is not
something we manufacture or control; it is something we receive. Every breath
we take, every beat of our hearts, every sunrise that breaks across the horizon
is a quiet reminder that we are living on borrowed grace. We did not design our
own existence, and we cannot sustain it by our own strength. Each new day
arrives not as a payment for our efforts, but as a generous gift from a God who
delights in giving good things to His children.
When the sun
rises, it does more than mark the beginning of another cycle of hours. It
stands as a testimony to God’s unwavering faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22–23
tells us that His mercies “are new every morning.” That means every dawn is a
fresh expression of compassion, a divine whisper that God has chosen to give us
another chance—another opportunity to grow, to love, to serve, and to walk in
the purpose He has woven into our lives. Each morning is a page God places
before us, inviting us to continue the story He is writing through us.
Yet we often
move through our days as though time belongs to us, as though tomorrow is
guaranteed. Scripture gently corrects this assumption. James 4:14 reminds us
that our lives are like a mist—visible for a moment and then gone. This truth
is not meant to frighten us but to awaken us. It teaches us to see each day not
as something owed to us, but as something entrusted to us by a loving Father.
When we
truly recognize that life is a gift, our posture shifts. Gratitude becomes our
natural response. We stop taking the ordinary for granted—the warmth of
sunlight on our skin, the laughter of people we love, the strength to work, the
quiet moments of rest. We begin to notice God’s fingerprints in the details,
His grace woven into the fabric of our daily routines. And perhaps most
importantly, this awareness draws us closer to the Giver Himself. When we
understand that every day is undeserved, we learn to live with open hands and
open hearts—ready to receive, ready to give, and ready to honor the One who has
given us the precious gift of today.
To “number
our days” is not to live in fear of time slipping away, but to live with
wisdom—wisdom that comes from recognizing how precious each moment truly is.
Scripture’s call to number our days is not an invitation to anxiously count
down the years; it is a call to wake up to the reality that life is fragile,
fleeting, and profoundly meaningful. There is a quiet humility in acknowledging
that we are not promised endless tomorrows. This awareness does not burden the
heart; it softens it. It teaches us to hold our days gently, to stop rushing
past the moments that matter, and to see God’s presence in the ordinary rhythms
of life.
When we
understand that each day is a gift, we begin to treat it like one—handling it
with gratitude, intention, and care. Wisdom grows in us when we realize that
time is not something we control but something we steward. This understanding
shapes the way we speak to others, the way we respond to challenges, and the
way we prioritize what truly matters. It nudges us to slow down long enough to
appreciate beauty, to invest in relationships, and to pursue what aligns with
God’s heart rather than what merely fills our schedules.
Numbering
our days is ultimately about living with clarity. It is about recognizing that
every sunrise is an opportunity to love well, to grow in grace, and to walk
more closely with God. It is a call to live awake—to be present, purposeful,
and grateful—because each moment carries eternal significance.
When we see
every day as a gift, we stop assuming we have unlimited tomorrows. Gratitude
becomes something we practice now, not later. We stop postponing the words we
need to say, the forgiveness we need to offer, the kindness we have been
meaning to show. We stop waiting for a “better time” to pursue the purpose God
has placed in our hearts. Instead, we begin to live with a holy urgency—not
rushed or frantic, but awake, aware, and responsive to God’s presence in the
present moment.
This
perspective reshapes our priorities. Small acts of love begin to matter more
than impressive accomplishments. Relationships take precedence over routines.
Moments of quiet with God become opportunities rather than interruptions. We
learn to appreciate the ordinary—the morning light, a shared meal, a simple
conversation—because we understand that none of it is guaranteed.
Numbering
our days is ultimately about stewardship. God places time in our hands like a
gift, and He invites us to use it well: to love deeply, to serve generously, to
walk humbly, and to live in a way that reflects His grace. When we understand
time as something entrusted to us rather than something we own, our entire
posture toward life shifts. We begin to see our days not as burdens to endure
or hours to fill, but as sacred spaces where God’s purposes can unfold through
us.
Stewardship
means recognizing that every moment carries weight. It means we refuse to waste
our days on bitterness, distraction, or trivial pursuits that pull us away from
what truly matters. Instead, we invest our time in things that echo into
eternity: relationships, compassion, worship, growth, and obedience.
Love,
generosity, and humility become the shape of a life well‑lived. These qualities
are not merely moral choices; they are reflections of God’s character shining
through us. When we choose compassion over indifference, forgiveness over
resentment, and patience over frustration, we are investing our time in what matters
most to God. When we serve generously, we mirror Christ Himself, who came “not
to be served, but to serve.” And when we walk humbly, we align our hearts with
God’s wisdom rather than our own.
When these
qualities shape the way we spend our days, our time becomes more than minutes
and hours. It becomes worship. It becomes testimony. It becomes a living
expression of God’s grace at work in us. And in the end, that is the highest,
most meaningful way to use the precious gift of time God has entrusted to us.
-----------------------------
Pastor Godwin, FBC Danvers
Comments
Post a Comment