Can't I Just Live in Today?

Download a PDF of the Can’t I Just Live in Today?.

Part of WHY? A RESOURCE KIT FOR TALKING TO STUDENTS ABOUT DISASTER, RELIEF, & RESTORATION

Core Text: James 4:13-15

Core Visual/Illustration: Several items can be used: a calendar; last week’s newspaper, last week’s news magazine; a website printout of events and highlights from the birth year of someone’s birthday.

Major Teaching /Talking Points:

Teaching Point #1

In times of great distress, we may want to retreat into living only for today and neglect tomorrow. See 2 Peter 3:3-4.

Teaching Point #2

What’s more, others around us may need us to anticipate tomorrow and what it may bring. See James 1:27, Galatians 2:10.

Teaching Point #3 Yet we need not obsess or despair about tomorrow. See Matthew 6:34.

Teaching Point #4 The Biblical writers are well acquainted with disasters of all proportions (the flood, the destruction of Jerusalem, Herod’s killing the Bethlehem babies, the crucifixion).

Teaching Point #5

Living in today can be either an escape from life’s uncertainties or an act of faith and trust in God’s promises (Romans 8:28).

Teaching Point #6

The Gospel will have the last Word on all our situations and circumstances. John 6:35-40

Questions/Discussion Starters for Youth:

It sure does seem like sometimes God is not present and active in our lives. When might we be tempted to think this?
Recall some instances in the Bible and in your own life that remind us that God remains with us and faithful to His promises.
“Today” offers lots of diversions and distractions that can tempt us as escapes from proper concerns. How might we avoid such temptation?
We can also be tempted to worry excessively about today. How might we avoid that temptation?
Try some ways to describe that creative tension of living both in today and anticipating the needs of tomorrow.

Published September 15, 2017

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Can’t I Just Live in Today?

About the author

Russ Moulds