ODB: Now, then Next
September 7, 2020
READ: Proverbs 2:1–11
He holds success in store for the upright. Proverbs 2:7
I recently attended a high school graduation during which the speaker provided a needed challenge for the young adults awaiting their diplomas. He mentioned that this was a time in their lives when everyone was asking them, “What’s next?” What career would they be pursuing next? Where would they be going to school or working next? Then he said that the more important question was what were they doing now?
In the context of their faith journey, what daily decisions would they be making that would guide them to live for Jesus and not for themselves?
His words reminded me of the book of Proverbs, which makes many pointed statements about how to live—now. For instance: practicing honesty, now (11:1); choosing the right friends, now (12:26); living with integrity, now (13:6); having good judgment, now (13:15); speaking wisely, now (14:3).
Living for God now, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, makes the decisions about what is next much easier. “The
— Dave Branon
What changes in direction do you need to make now to honor God? How can you seek God’s guidance and empowerment in doing so?
Thank You, heavenly Father, for Your guidance in my life today. Protect me and give me wisdom to live in a way that both pleases You and reveals who You are. To learn more about the spiritual life, visit Source: Our Daily Bread