A BIRD IN THE HAND

You have heard the proverb, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” No one is quite sure who first said it or exactly what they meant, but it has stood the test of time. Perhaps it was coined by a hunter, or maybe by a philosopher...for this proverb can be applied to many moments in life. It reminds us to be content with what we already have rather than chasing after what we only hope to gain. It gently nudges us to live in the moment instead of dwelling in dreams of what might be. The present moment is real; our dreams may or may not be.

When Jesus spoke to His disciples in what we now call the Sermon on the Mount, He urged them to live in the “now” and not to be overly concerned about the future: “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Matthew 6:34. It is good to have dreams for the future, as long as our feet and our faith are firmly grounded in God’s Word in the present.

The psalmist reminds us of this when he wrote, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” It is a call to celebrate each day as a gift from God. The Lord’s Prayer teaches us to pray for our “daily bread.” And Isaiah encourages us to “seek the Lord today” not because God will be unavailable tomorrow, but because we might not be here tomorrow.

-G Yarian

God’s “Now” Is Greater Than Tomorrow’s “Maybe”