Sunday: Living Today
Daily Lesson for Sunday 21st of June 2026
When we look around, we see the world heaving and groaning, and the signs that Jesus told us about are playing out before our eyes. Wars and rumors of wars, nations rising against other nations, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and persecution (Matthew 24:6-11) are happening all around us and seem only to be intensifying as time rolls on. Yes, we live in serious times—times when we need an abiding relationship with God.
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We are told, “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers” (1 Peter 4:7, NKJV). If so then, even more so now is the time to fortify and strengthen your personal relationship with God. And regardless of how long time lasts, our individual lives are always short, no matter how long we live. “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:13-14, NKJV). We know how true that warning is. Some of you who are reading these words right now might not be alive when the day ends. This is part of the sad reality of living in a fallen world. How crucial, then, is it to make sure of our relationship with God and always to live in awareness of our need of Him and His saving grace?
Psalms 80:1-19 offers a beautiful appeal to God. Read the chapter and, in particular, consider verses 1–3, 14–17, 18, 19, and put the word “me” in place of “us.” Regardless of how different the time, place, and context of this psalm, in what ways can you personally relate to it?
We all need revival in our lives. It’s so easy to get complacent or even to be forgetful of what God has done and is doing for us. What faithful believer, even if struggling, could not pray something like this: “Cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!” (Psalms 80:19, NKJV)? When you accept what Jesus has done for you, when you know that your sins have been forgiven and that you are covered by His perfect righteousness, credited to you by faith, you can know that you are saved in Him.
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How do you understand what it means for God “to shine” His face on you, especially in the context of knowing that His righteousness alone saves you? |
In the busyness of this life, it is very…very easy to be complacent, forget and be carried away, particularly when focused on meeting our physical needs. When life seems to be getting well, we focus on securing our future, which is extremely transient. Eternity seems never to be near the equation. We will never have the future secure in our hands, and yet we are living, chasing an elusive future. The wisest man (Solomon) exclaimed, “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”(Ecclesiastes 1:2, NIV).
Living in the present, one day at a time, is wise counsel. We need time to reflect on eternity. We are held captive by “what I will eat tomorrow” rather than living with Jesus forever. This is human foolishness, sacrificing eternity for tomorrow. Too much heartache chasing the future, to the point of losing the present, has caused many to damage their health. In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus told us to pray for today, “Give us today our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11). Instead of worrying about the elusive future, let us worry about our eternity. Let us be thankful to God that He has given us today’s bread.
Investing for eternity is a wiser investment than building mansions for tomorrow. Not meaning to be careless today, but living “sustainably” for the sake of eternity is what we have been admonished to do. The quality of our current living should not be an exchange for eternity. We must learn to be content; otherwise, we become captives of the elusive future. Paul’s advice is worth emulating, “… I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11). Matching into eternity demands shaking off too heavy burdens that slow us down to almost a complete halt. One of those terrible burdens is giving too much attention to the present physical life. No matter how well we plan for this life, it will never be perfect. It is an illusion to try to perfect what can never be perfected. Eternity is all worth sacrificing the present for.
I always love to reflect on Abraham, who dwelt in tents in the Promised Land as a pilgrim while fixing his eyes on the city whose maker and builder is God (Hebrews 11:8-11). What was better than the Promised Land, but Abraham chose to live in tents as a foreigner for the sake of eternity. This story is truly beautiful for my soul. Is heaven not worth sacrificing for? Absolutely, yes! As every sign is pointing towards the soon return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus, we need to steadfastly reorient our main centre of focus towards eternity. The finishing line is within sight. We must drop down all that slows us down before the trumpet sound of God calls out. We must search our hearts and do a serious and sincere reflection on whether we are heading in the right direction.
The statement, “Meaningless! Meaningless!… Everything is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 1:2), must be understood in its context. Solomon wrote these words while reflecting on life lived “under the sun”—life pursued apart from complete dependence on God. After seeking fulfillment in wealth, pleasure, power, wisdom, and achievement, he discovered that none of these could satisfy the human heart. His conclusion was not that life with God is meaningless, but that life apart from God is. The book ends with the very opposite message: “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). In Christ, life is not meaningless but filled with purpose, hope, and eternal significance.
God to shine on us is like the sunflower that turns its face in the direction of the sun and receives the sunrays from above – no effort just a turning toward God 🙂
“…for we are made a spectacle (Gr:theatron, from which we get the word theater.!) unto the world, and to angels.” 1 Cor 4:9 The newest telescope, the James Webb telescope, has seen farther in the universe than ever before. When I taught science 13 years ago it was thought, through the Hubble Ultra Deep Field telescope that there were 300,000,000,000 galaxies each galaxy containing 200 to 300 billion solar systems. With the Webb telescope the known universe, (that which we can see) has expanded to 2,000,000,000,000; that’s 2 trillion! That means that there are 6e23 solar systems in the known universe! That’s 600 sextillion solar systems with planets that could contain life. Of course these are extrapolations based on raw data. However if there is just ONE Solar system in each galaxy that supports life that gives a still staggering number of 2 trillion other planets with life; planets that have not know sin!
Truly “Our little world is the lesson book of the universe” DA p. 19.2
In conclusion, The new Earth is the place where God is going to place His holy city. Rev ch 21. We are not only witnesses here in the present but we will travel throughout the vast reaches of the universe for eternity giving our testimony as ambassadors for Christ telling/demonstrating our love for Him and His love for us. Sin will never rise again.
The Lord is called upon to save His people. The presence of the Lord is our strength. Often,the cares and the stress overwhelm us as God appears to be distant. God hear and save is when we call. Amen!
Soon things will come to an end. This is when we should be sure of the kind of relationship we have with God — are we against Him or with Him? The signs are already here: love of money over love of God, and the extent of problems among the people.
May the Lord help us live in our means as we wait for him.
May Gods favour and grace continues to be with us as we struggle with our humanity.
I cannot be the only person who have encountered this phenomenon. And for some strange reason I have especially noted it with younger Christian women ( I confess I do have a good bit of gender bias). They emanate a glow that is distinctive and unhidden. In fact I am aware of a particular group of Christian women whose title is ” Women Aglow”
Without a doubt being with Jesus is so significant that its reality transcends into our personal space, our personal atmosphere ; as the young people would say our personal “vibes”.
In Acts 4:13 NIV is captured some of the outward manifestations of an encounter with Christ – ” When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”
Our witness of being with Jesus is amazingly beyond what we do and say, it is expressed also in the very ambience that surrounds us.
“How do you understand what it means for God “to shine” His face on you, especially in the context of knowing that His righteousness alone saves you?”
In light of righteousness by faith, for Christ to shine on me, I believe firmly that Christ is shining in every corner of my heart which leaves no room for darkness, because I have asked Him into my heart. And asked Him to shine out of my heart Lord Jesus, so that the rich current of His love that flows through my veins shines out of my heart in the form of smiles and encouraging words to others and yes is expressed by all of my actions. Yes, doer of the Word of God, not just hearer, lest I be called a hypocrite. I want to be more righteous in thought, word and action than the Pharisees, by and through Jesus Christ.
My answer to today’s question:
My heart and mind are at peace. I believe that God is present in every circumstance I encounter. I am in Him as I have my being in Jesus Christ His Son. Knowing this to be an unchanging spiritual Truth gives me peace.
Isaiah 48:17
”Thus saith the LORD, they Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD they God which teaches you to profit, which leadeth thee by the way you should go.”
Psalm 37:23-24
”The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.”
Prov.20:24
”The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?”
I believe that God’s Righteousness directs my steps. His Truth is present with me at every moment of every day.
As a young person I don’t ever remember thinking about what growing old meant, likely because I was focused on daily life and what my future would be. What I do remember is that on my 40th birthday many people told me: “it’s all downhill from here!” What they didn’t know is that at the time I was already experiencing the pain of arthritis. I also had taken a couple of falls (after stumbling on a step and slipping on a wet floor) which left me bruised and hurting for a few weeks. I learned the hard way that growing old can and does involve aches, pains, and stiff joints that can cause unstable footsteps leading to stumbles and falls. I know many if not all of you can relate.
Praise God growing old in Christ Jesus does not mean the same! As Psalm 37 says “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds Him with His hand.” Notice all the verbs in this verse (makes, delights, and most importantly upholds) are PRESENT tense.
My prayer is that all of us daily delight in the presence of God, our Creator and Father, and rest assured that, whatever our age, as we grow old(er), we grow in the knowledge that the Lord makes firm our daily steps so that even if we stumble, He UPHOLDS us with His hand so we won’t fall. Thank-you Jesus for our salvation!
Today is the Day of Grace for each of us.
The scripture is not in any way trying to cause fear, but to bring awakening. It is of utmost importance to make absolutely sure of our relationship with God right now, TODAY?
We must live every single day in full awareness of our need for Him and His saving grace. The world around us may be unstable, but being anchored in Christ, gives us rest, and the hope of keeping our foundation unmovable.
I encourage us to take a moment right now. Pause, step away from the noise of the world, and turn to God in prayer. Strengthen your heart today!
We live in the present (today)in the context of eternity.
Yes, indeed. I believe that is the intended focus of the lesson author.
If we only live “in the present,” we live no better than the pleasure seekers of the world.
A shining face is a happy one. Spending time with the Happiness Giver makes that happen. It is a matter of relationship.
Was Peter correct when he wrote back then that the end was at hand (1 Peter 4:7) since over or near 2000 years have passed and the end has not yet come?