“I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” John 9:4
Dear Ones:
The importance of a “day” is remarkable, especially when one examines it with the backdrop of eternity. Jesus was very conscious of the significance of a “day,” in that, it spoke of present opportunity, obligation, and eternal significance and worth. We find Him saying to His disciples on one occasion, “…I have food to eat that you know not of…My food is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work.” (Jn. 4:32,34) There is no doubt that in Christ’s mind, there was the desire and will to fill up the day, the present moment, by doing the will of His Father, and being about His business, finishing His work. Since we are not consistently of that pure, heavenly perspective, we are apt to miss our opportunity, or come up short with regard to “doing the will of Him that sent Me.” We see this when Jesus asked the disciples: “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then cometh the harvest?'” (v.35) Such was the perspective of the disciples. Jesus’ perspective was entirely different: “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white to harvest.” In other words, the time is NOW for the harvest.
In the book of Haggai, we find that Israel had begun building the temple. Opposition had shut down the enterprise for about 15 years. The people had begun to slide into a complacency about finishing the construction. Haggai would write: “This people say, ‘The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.'” (Hag. 1:2) To which the Lord would respond: “Is it time for you, O you, to dwell in your paneled houses, and this house lies waste?” (1:4) And then came the commandment: “Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house.” (v.8) The promise associated with such a venture is declared by the Lord, and is remarkable: “…and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified.”
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “For He (God) saith, ‘I have heard you in an acceptable time, and in the “day” of salvation have I helped you: behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold NOW is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. 6:2) What is He saying? He is pointing out the importance of the “day,” and the necessity for us to BELIEVE that God is intensely desirous, and willing, to SAVE the lost soul, and build His church, TODAY.
When one uses what we call “The Lord’s Prayer,” we must understand that it is a present “day” prayer. There is the understood “NOW” aspect to it, that beckons us to appropriate Christ for everything that pertains to “…the hallowing of the Father’s name, the coming of His kingdom, and the doing of His will.” (Matt. 6:9-10) If we are not convinced of the “present” demands of these requests, read what follows: “…Give us this DAY our DAILY bread.” (v.11) If daily bread is so very important, how much more the coming of His kingdom? All must be seen, and lived, in the context of the present moment.
Dear Father, You have called us to use well the “day” that you have made. This is possible as we call upon You for grace to surrender all to You, seeking to derive all from Christ for every need. Give us grace to “be about our Father’s business,” seeking first Thy kingdom and righteousness, filled with the knowledge of Thy will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, being well-pleasing to Thee. We thank Thee in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad