Tomorrow

“Tomorrow.” It’s a word we utter quite frequently and innocently: “Tomorrow I’ll do that house work…Tomorrow I’ll see my friend.Tomorrow I’ll get groceries…Tomorrow I’ll go to the gym.”  In those instances, we mean that we’ve got a lot going on today, and so we’ll do those things tomorrow.

And yet, there can be another sense in which we use the word “tomorrow,” that is not so innocent, and that may in fact be quite dangerous. How many times have we said something like this to ourselves or to others: “Tomorrow I’ll spend more time with my family…Tomorrow I’ll stop that bad habit…Tomorrow I’ll see how they’re doing…Tomorrow I’ll read my Bible and pray… Tomorrow I’ll go to church.” Used in this way, “tomorrow” is just an excuse for what we should be doing today.

And the reason this use of “tomorrow” is so dangerous is that, according to the Scriptures, we’re not guaranteed tomorrow. The book of James says: “Now listen, you who say, “… Tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴Why, 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” (James 4:13–14).

We don’t know what will happen tomorrow. And while it’s not wrong to make plans for tomorrow, it is wrong to leave God out of those plans. God isn’t against planning, but he is against plans that remove him from the equation. That’s why the book of James says in the next verse, “Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:15).

It’s okay to make plans for tomorrow, so long as those plans are submitted to God. It’s okay to make plans for tomorrow, provided we aren’t putting off until tomorrow those things that God wants us to do today. What are some things that God has called us to do today? God commands us to be obedient to him today. The Lord calls us to spend time with him today. Jesus invites us to seek him today. God wants us to say no to sin today. God tells us to love others today. And because we’re not guaranteed tomorrow, God also says, “Today is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Is there something that you’ve been procrastinating about? Is there something that you know God wants you to do but you keep putting it off? “Today is the day the Lord has made” (Psalm 118:24) for you to do those things.

If you would like to explore in more depth how Jesus made salvation possible, and how you can experience it today, follow this link.

If you find this devotional to be an encouragement to you, and you’d like to receive them directly to your inbox, please sign up on the right.