Choose for now because tomorrow will be here

It's amazing how quickly things change. Yesterday it was 80 degrees, today it's not. Yesterday I was a confused parent taking my oldest home from the hospital. Today I'm still a confused parent wondering where this preteen who is almost as tall as me came from. Time is always moving forward and is never resistant to change.

Someone once said, "Time is free, but it's priceless. Once you've lost it you can never get it back." Approaching this ever-fleeing commodity raises many questions. What is urgent and important, what is unimportant but urgent, what is unimportant and not urgent? How do I approach the day, the month, the moment that is gone before I know it?

In the New Testament letter of Philippians, we can get some insight into a prayerful perspective applied to time. In the middle of this prayer we can read these words "For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives." In other words, "I'm praying today because tomorrows coming and I want you to know how to live really well when you face the new challenges of tomorrow."

Here is a reminder that prayer is actively engaged in today because tomorrow is coming. When tomorrow comes it will bring with her the challenge of facing a litany of never-ending choices to live well.

We make choices every day. Not making a choice is in itself a choice. We are more defined not by the choices we make but by the choices we don't. The husband defines the value of marriage by choosing not to have an affair. The addict chooses to be sober by not picking up the bottle or the drug. The teacher chooses to be a great educator by choosing not settle for being a good teacher.

Scripturally, we must engage through spiritual eyes, two steps to choose well. First pick up, examine, turn over, look through the choice in front of us in order to examine its validity. Is this real? Is this true?

Then and only then determine its value. Does the value of the choice align itself with the value of your calling in Christ?

To "know what really matters" demands spiritual eyesight of saying no to more than what is greeted with yes.

Pray. Choose well. Live well.

Rob Hurtgen is a husband, father, minister and writer. Read more from him at www.robhurtgen.wordpress.com.