Article March 17, 1906 Issue

One Day at a Time

Alfred Farlow

Boston Times

Jesus said, "Take therefore no thought for the morrow : for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

It seems impossible not to give some thought to the future, and without doubt one of the most important things in this line is to note that the success, prosperity, the general welfare of the future depends largely, if not exclusively, on our taking good care of the present. He who does not take to-day's steps to-day cannot take to-morrow's steps to-morrow, but on the morrow will be obliged to take today's steps. If a link be dropped out of the chain, we are obliged to go back and replace it, in order that the chain may be unbroken. To-morrow's work can never be done to-day, for we have not reached it. We cannot even determine accurately to-day what we shall do to-morrow, hence the wisdom of James' words, "For ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."

To-morrow's circumstances and environments are not yet arrived. Therefore, the testimony which is to govern to-morrow's decision is not yet in hand, and he is a very unwise judge who decides his case before the testimony is presented. The battles which we already have on hand demand all our thought, attention, ingenuity, and effort, and when they are properly provided for there is little time and opportunity left for to-morrow's cares. For the evil or burden of to-day—that which is necessary to be combated and overcome to-day—is sufficient, said Jesus. It is a sufficient undertaking for our strength, a sufficient task for our duty.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

A Reply to Objections