He’s Changing Me

 

 

One day at a time

The Lord is changing me,

One day at a time

That’s all the change I see.

 

Moment by moment

He takes me along,

For the trial in the present

He makes me strong.

 

I am stronger today

Than I was yesterday,

My spirit is thriving

Though my body decays.

 

I gaze in the distance

But I cannot see far

And the little that I see

Appears somewhat marred.

 

But He oft assures me

Worry not of tomorrow,

Today all by itself

Is enough of sorrow.

 

Yes! He is changing me

One day at a time,

And he does it from within

Capturing my mind.

 

Bringing me to understand

That whatever betide,

By His Holy Spirit

He lives on the inside.

 

You may be puzzled

As you analyze me,

And you may not be satisfied

With what you see.

 

That is only because

My increments are small

And just one day at a time

 It looks like I’ve stalled.

 

That is true sometimes

But I will never turn back,

Jesus is my only hope!

At least, I have learnt that.

 

My journey is dotted

With defeats here and there

But God is holding me up

And faith displaces fear.

 

I am His

And He is mine,

And I have absolutely no doubt

It will be so even after time.

 

 

So, one day at a time

Is all you will get to see,

That God is changing me

Is my reality.

 

Judge me if you wish

Though, ill-advisedly so,

God is doing far more for me

Than time will ever show.

 

But eternity will tell

When all time is gone,

And my change will be complete

When eternity dawns.

 

One dawn it will be,

No more day, no more night,

And my change you will see

For then all will be right!

 

Stewart Russell © February 17, 2022

 

But One Step

 

 

Some plan for a year

Some, a month or a week,

One day at a time for me

Is changing as I speak.

 

A week is much to chew

Far less a month or year,

I had become settled on a day

In life’s fret and care.

 

Now, it is but one step,

One step, at a time for me,

This is the lot I can deal with-

I’m getting older you see.

 

But one step as I see it

Is the smart thing to do,

There’s no living in tomorrow

For neither me nor you.

 

 

I recall that ancient hymn

“His eye is on the sparrow”,

But one step in the second verse

Doesn’t speak of tomorrow.

 

It is of a constant walk

With one’s best friend ever,

This is none other, my friend

Than Jesus, the Saviour.

 

For by the path he leads,

It is but one step at a time

And, if faithful to his guidance,

The best of life we’ll find.

 

Plan a year if you must

Or even a month or week

But remember, as you plan,

God’s will you must seek.

 

For me it is but one step

Or I would go astray,

For the truth of the matter is,

I do not know the way.

The longest journey ever

Began with a single step

And without that initial move

Success could not be met.

 

It’s one step I reiterate

However innovative a man,

Even Jesus took a first step

In our salvation plan.

 

Stop tomorrow’s worry

Today has enough of its own,

Concentrate on that one step;

It’s one step going home.

 

Stewart Russell © December 21, 2023

 

The Future

 

 

Anything left for the future

Is never ever done,

The reason is pretty simple

The future never ever comes.

 

I am sure you understand

For experience has taught us that,

Whenever we got around to it

It was a present act.

 

The future is procrastination

And procrastination is a trap,

How can we say tomorrow

When we don’t know about that?

 

There is a place for promises

Promises of a certain sort

But things that can be done today

In the future they will abort.

 

As it relates to routine

Some things we can expect,

However, even in such cases

We sometimes experience regret.

 

The promise of a child

When the evidence is clear

Is a future expectation

That grows as the time gets near.

 

The promise of a salary

At the end of the month

Even though we work towards it

Becomes a routine triumph.

 

A future promise is not guaranteed

Unless it’s a promise from God,

Satan offers alluring promises

But he is a shameless fraud.

 

The Bible gives a caution

Relating to the future,

The uncertainty of tomorrow

Being its principal feature.

 

 

Whereas ye know not what

Shall be on the morrow,

Even one’s life is not guaranteed

For life is like a vapour.

 

For a little more on this matter

Go to the 4^th chapter of James,

Do not be like the foolish farmer

Who stood on future claims.

 

“I will pull down my barns,” he said,

“And I will build them greater.

I will feed my soul on such bounty.”

Oh, he could not be happier!

 

He neither considered God

Nor the unpredictability of the future,

God required his soul that night

And he was bound for his sepulchre.

 

Any promise that God has made

Will certainly come to pass

As long as it is not conditional

On someone to perform a task.

 

The coming of the Lord:

That is a futuristic certainty,

We can bank on that as the saying goes

For in that lies our destiny.

 

Concerning the coming judgment

That too is a futuristic fact,

Remember the future is in God’s hand

And we can be sure of that.

 

 

“Trust no future, how e’er pleasant!”

Mr. Longfellow said,

“Act, act in the living present

Heart within, and God o’er head!

 

The future is not reality

I know that sounds quite funny

But it’s a fact we had better grasp

And reject the current folly.

 

Stewart Russell © June 2018

 

Two Days to Forget

 

 

 

Forget yesterday

It does not remember you,

Worry not about tomorrow

For you haven’t a clue.

 

Today is your day

Since yesterday surely is not

And tomorrow is no guarantee

Concerning your lot.

 

Two days to forget:

Yesterday and tomorrow

For from neither, I dare say,

Not a minute you can borrow.

 

Neither the twain exists

I can assure you of that,

Yesterday has already gone

And tomorrow’s never a fact.

 

Yesterday may be a track record

You’d want to consider

But it’s better to forget it

If it brings you a shiver.

 

Tomorrow on the other hand

Is all in the mind

And has never eclipsed today

At any given time.

 

 

None can fix yesterday;

That’s an impossible feat

And tomorrow doesn’t come

So today is never complete.

 

Plan all you can

For the prospect of tomorrow

But bear in mind, my friend,

It is today that you sow.

 

Regret all you must

About yesterday’s mistakes

But there is nothing you can do

For yesterday is too late.

 

Two days to forget:

Yesterday and tomorrow

But neither the twain do we

Whether of joy or sorrow.

 

Stewart Russell © June 4, 2022

 

Today

 

 

Today will be like any other

That is, we don’t know what will be

But what we do know for sure,

It is similar for you and me.

 

We will have our ups and downs

Of running to and fro

And whether it could have been different

We will never ever know.

 

I wrote this poem today

Which in fact was yesterday

But as to why I did not post it then,

I really cannot say.

 

And the fact that it’s today

Makes it all the more relevant,

Yesterday is not the time for doing

For it is no longer extant.

 

“Let us then, be up and doing”

In Longfellow's Psalm of life,

Speaks to the events of this present day

Whether of seriousness or blithe.

 

Today is all I have

And this is the same for you,

It will be like any other day

For me and for you too.

 

We talk of making history,

Some even use the word create

And we often get highly offended

If one leaves it up to fate.

 

But fate is what will be

And over such, we have no control,

As to predicting to tomorrow’s agenda

My friend, I would not be so bold.

 

 

“With a heart for any fate”

Continues the famous Longfellow,

The courage we have is only present

And cannot be used tomorrow.

 

I will end as I began

By repeating the very first verse,

Bearing in mind of course, my friend,

Tomorrow cannot be rehearsed.

 

Today will be like any other

That is, we don’t know what will be

But what we do know for sure,

It will be similar for you and me.

 

Stewart Russell © December 11, 2022

 

Thanks for Today

 

 

I thank God for today’s gift:

Today’s gift is called today,

As I contemplate this precious gift

There’s much I have to say.

 

We take tomorrow for granted

And we stake its claims today

As though tomorrow is guaranteed

Especially, if today we pray.

 

But tomorrow is never promised

And it never comes any way

So, I am all the more thankful

That God has given me today.

 

We take today for granted

As though to it we are entitled

But receiving it with thankful hearts

To me is particularly vital.

 

There are many alive today

But they are not even aware;

They are lying on a hospital bed

Not knowing they are there.

 

Some of these are comatose

Some in a drug ridden state,

Some are in a drunken stupor

But none can to today relate.

 

 

So, to know that today is today

For me is a precious benefit

And to display an attitude of thanks

Should be everybody’s habit.

 

Father, I give You thanks

For allowing me to see today,

Help me never to take it for granted

Or abuse it any way.

 

Stewart Russell © August 2020

Not Even A Call?

 

“Man, something came up

That I did not anticipate

And I could not come by you,

I had another date.”

 

“But you really understand

That you messed up my day?

I was here waiting on you

And that’s all you can say?”

 

“But something came up,

What you expect me to do?

I sure you’d do the same thing

If it had happened to you.”

 

“But you told me tomorrow

And that was five days ago

And you tell me something come up

As though I should know!

 

As a matter of fact

It was me that decided to call you,

Being undecided in my mind

About what to do.”

 

“But something came up

And I did not have a choice,

There is no need for your carrying on

And raising your voice.”

 

“But seriously, you for real?

Five days ago, you promised me

Next day you will come back

And we both agree.

 

Now the dripping got worse

Lots of water down the drain,

My water bill will definitely go up

And I should not complain?

 

You got to be out o’ your head

You cannot be for real,

If you think that is a good excuse

I tell you it done fail.”

 

“But something came up

And it had me in a real bind,

I had no choice but to do that job

And get it off my mind.”

“But tell me something, my man,

Not even a call?

You actually work the last five days

With no break at all?

 

I notice you’ve gone dumb

Like there’s nothing more to say,

All you workmen are the same

You operate the same way.

 

Not even a call to say

Sorry, I can no longer come

But I will definitely contact you

When this job is done.”

 

“Sir, I most certainly agree

And I really should have called

But after I left you on Monday

My cellphone had a fall.

 

You were most fortunate

To get through when you call,

I can finish your job tomorrow

If that is all.”

Not even a call?

I really cannot believe this,

And he has the gall to think

That he is still on my list.

 

Stewart Russell © December 12, 2021

 

Only in the Mind

 

 

Only in the mind

Do tomorrow’s troubles exist

And what’s on offer for today

We often times miss.

 

Tomorrow is our focus

Whenever today arrive

And today is left unattended

In tomorrow’s drive.

 

Nebulous and uncertain

But it’s a natural obsession,

Tomorrow’s on our mind

In today’s omission.

 

Today does not matter,

Tomorrow is our priority

And today is just the build up

Thus, it’s full of anxiety.

 

Tomorrow is that bridge

We have not yet reached

But to cross it today we must,

So, the Father we beseech.

 

Tomorrows troubles

Obscures today’s peace

And living tomorrow today

Is unsettled release.

 

Be not concerned unduly

Re tomorrow’s troubles,

Tomorrow is unsolvable today;

Sorry to burst your bubble.

 

No one solves tomorrow

Until tomorrow comes

And it always comes as today-

That’s how the days run.

 

 

It’s only in the mind

That any tomorrow exists,

It’s today that God has given;

Do understand this.

 

Tomorrow's a bridge

We cross only in our mind

And its success is only imaginary

Each and every time. 

Therefore...

 

Let today be your focus

And walk in it as God directs,

Its tasks are more than enough

And so too, its regrets.

 

Stewart Russell © September 14, 2021

 

No Tomorrow

 

 

Is there a tomorrow?

No, not at all!

Today is all that there is,

Tomorrow is not our call.

 

Life consists of the now:

That is really today,

There is nothing beyond

So do not delay.

 

It makes sense to plan

But to plan today,

It should be pretty obvious

There is no other way.

 

You can’t plan tomorrow

When all you have is now

So, don’t try the impossible

That can’t be done anyhow.

That tomorrow never comes

Is an essential fact,

You do what you can today

And then… relax.

 

Never a now moment

In any tomorrow;

Not a minute from the past

Can we ever borrow.

 

I have heard some talk

About planning ahead

But they did not understand

What they actually said.

 

Planning is done now

It can never be done ahead,

I need not say more on that

So, enough said.

  

No tomorrow!

I need to emphasize that:

And today is not tomorrow

That too is a fact.

 

Tomorrow is a notion:

It’s like an idea in our mind,

The other days we name

But re tomorrow, we decline.

 

Today being Friday

Means tomorrow is Saturday

But do we say its name?

No, “tomorrow” is our way.

 

You’ll never see tomorrow

In the days of any week,

That’s just to make my point

Without getting in too deep.

 

I guess you can say the same

For today and yesterday

But both of these are facts:

One is passed; the other is today.

Tomorrow is never a fact

Neither can we say it will be,

Yesterday was and that’s for sure

And now today we see.

 

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

It doesn’t say tomorrow:

God provides for our todays;

And soothes today’s sorrows.

 

“Act, act in the living present.”

Remember the Psalm of Life?

For there is no tomorrow;

Only today’s strife.

 

Stewart Russell © August 21, 2020