Don’t worry about tomorrow, but do plan for it
I haven’t looked that far ahead. This sentence gave me thought about looking into the future. I know preachers who plan their sermons several months in advance. Some preacher friends of mine in years past would meet in February and discuss the things facing the church at that time. Some of them would plan sermons to help the congregation deal with those issues. I am impressed by this foresight.
We are told not to worry about tomorrow. We are to plan for tomorrow. There is a big difference between worrying and planning. If we are living on earth tomorrow, we must have some type of plan for our life. We all understand it is possible that the world may end today or that we may die today. Therefore, the plans we make for tomorrow will not be carried out by us. Have you looked that far into the future?
Do you plan for Sunday Bible class and worship? If you are teaching, then you must. I regret to say that many Christians do not look that far ahead. Do you study the lesson which will be taught next Bible class? I know you do not have the sermon to study ahead of time. Do you ever look back to the sermon from last Sunday? Do you think about what was said? These lessons may help you to look into your future life on earth and plan your life better.
When I was a teenager, I would plan for Sunday assembly. I would study the lesson we would have when we met. Saturday I would clean my shoes and polish them, looking forward to assembling. Back then, I would even shave on Saturday night until Mom told me I needed to wait until Sunday morning. So many people do not plan for assembling. In fact, many will stay out or up late on Saturday and be too sleepy to assemble on Sunday. They haven’t even looked a few hours ahead!
Financial planners tell us we need to look several years ahead to plan for our retirement. They are right!
We should look several years ahead for our spiritual life. It takes time and energy to learn the Word (the Bible) and prepare for service in the church. We must study the Word for hours and hours each week. We must think about the Word. It must become a part of our lives. All average people can become workers for the Lord. All can live and teach the truth! How long will you need to spend each day in the Bible to become a scholar? Bible scholars are not necessarily highly educated people. They are people who have studied and rightly divided the Word. You can become one of those people! Look as far ahead as you can!
People who are living in sin are not looking very far ahead. Sin gives pleasure in the present, but not the future. When David was with Bathsheba, he was not looking ahead! When Ananias and Sapphira lied about the money, they were not looking ahead. When Demas left Paul because he loved this present world, he was not looking ahead.
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14, NKJV)
Today, we must do as Paul did in the past, press on—looking far ahead. Prepare to die today or to live many years. It does not matter if we live or die because we are the Lord’s! Paul said “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)
Vernon Curry has preached at the Highland Drive Church of Christ in Poplar Bluff for about 16 years.
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