Today

Take care, siblings, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. – Hebrews 3:12-13 (NRSV) 

My 4-year-old was being a pill. She wouldn’t eat dinner. Splashed all the water out of the tub. Fought tooth and nail over getting into her pajamas. 

I yelled. I lost my cool. I sent her off to bed with only the most perfunctory of goodnight kisses. 

As I moved to leave the bedroom, she mumbled, “You say ‘tomorrow.’” 

It’s a ritual she and her mom started that I had to learn. I was supposed to tell her what would happen when she wakes up. 

I sighed. 

I sat on the edge of her bed and began, “Tomorrow is Friday. I don’t have to work, so it’s a daddy and Nola day. Let’s have fun, OK?” 

“OK.” 

And like that, my daughter reminded me. There is a tomorrow. A time when, with any luck, I would not be quite so tired or quite so irritated. A time when I could imagine having fun with her again. 

And if there is a tomorrow, that must mean there is a today. That the moment at her bedside was “today.” And it was as good a time as any to start again. 

I wonder if this is possible with grown-ups, too. To forgive, to soften, to turn my heart back to the Living God. To be reminded that I have all I need to show love in this very moment. Every day. As long as it is called “today.” 

Prayer
Living God, thank you for today, every day.