While dealing with the effects of cancer treatment, I would often find myself numbering the days: only 25 more days of radiation…  only  two more days of chemotherapy. During this difficult time, our family was blessed with many beautiful get-well cards and plenty of meals and prayers from church members and friends. 

However, I often failed to see these gifts as blessings from God. I thought that I could count myself blessed only after I was totally finished with all my treatments and everything had returned to normal. Now, I realise that when I was totally focused on the future, I missed the blessings of each day.

As Christians, we know that today our lives are ‘hidden with God’. Our lives aren’t perfect, but when Jesus comes again, we will be made new and every tear will be wiped away from our eyes. God promises that one glorious day we will see clearly what is difficult for us to understand now. In addition to this future hope, today’s quoted scripture verses remind us that we have already ‘died’. God has already raised us to new life with Christ, and every day we can experience his blessings. As Christians, not only do we have the hope of a glorious future to look forward to, but we are also promised a new and abundant life for today. 

Prayer: Gracious God, remind us of your blessings today, and strengthen us by hope in your promise for tomorrow. Amen