Free Crab Tomorrow!

Psalm 119:105 (NIV): Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Matthew 6:33 – 34 (NIV): But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

When the writer of this Psalms calls God's word a “lamp to my feet and a light for my path”, we mustn't think of a modern flashlight that shines ahead into the darkness. This is referring to a foot lamp that you swung beside you that only illuminated your next step. Our hope for finding our way is found in God's word, but God wants us to take one step at a time and live one day at a time. We tend to want to know exactly what God is going to do in our future, but Jesus said to seek God and his kingdom today and let tomorrow worry about tomorrow.

This doesn't mean we do not plan for our future. In fact, planning to spend eternity with God in heaven is the most important decision we can make, but there is a difference between planning for tomorrow and living for tomorrow. If we continually wait for tomorrow to start living, we may not ever begin. There is a sign on the wall at Joe's Crab Shack in Dallas that says “Free Crab Tomorrow.” That is clever to me because you can't go in there tomorrow! If you try tomorrow, it will be today when you arrive. So, in a sense tomorrow never comes and that's what God knows. It's always today so we must live for today!

We can live for today knowing that we have a future. We can know that God will never leave us or forsake us. We can know that His word will light our path and direct us toward joy and righteousness. Worrying about tomorrow robs us of our joy and keeps us from being effective in our witness. It's easy to get into the habit of worrying, but God says take one step at a time and leave the worrying to him.

Seek to know God. Seek to know his word. Seek his kingdom, his will and his righteousness, and allow God to take care of us. One. Day. At. A. Time.