...And its been a long December and theres reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last
I cant remember all the times I tried to tell my myself
To hold on to these moments as they pass...
- Adam Duritz, David Bryson (Counting Crows)
I have no idea what tomorrow brings. I may have some ideas, but nothing concrete. I may have plans, but they could be altered unexpectantly. Tomorrow is always a surprise, its always an adventure.
I am being reminded of that almost daily right now by reading the paper and watching the news. Todays headline in the Holland Sentinel is "Haworth cuts 350 jobs, will close Allegan facility". The Allegan facility employs 180 people, so essentially they are cutting 530 jobs.
Thats 530 people who are losing a weekly paycheck, medical benefits, and 401k matching programs.
Thats 530 people who are going to have to alter there lifestyles dramatically, unless they find other employment.
Thats 530 people who are going to endure the physical and emotional stress of finding new employment, and trying to pay bills.
I have no idea what tomorrow brings.
Proverbs 1:1 says, "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth."
James 4:13-15 says, "Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."
We are in a time of rediscovering what is important in life.
We are in a time where tomorrow is looking frightening.
We are in a time where "cutting back" is forcing us to be "looking in", and finding what is essential.
What are the essentials to life?
Matthew 6: 25-34 says,
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
The essentials?
Seek God, remember His promises.