Retreat – ‘an act of moving back or withdrawing’.  Yesterday I began a spiritual retreat.  I will continue to enjoy it today, and tomorrow.  I am grateful for this opportunity. Those who are officer/pastors in The Salvation Army are afforded this blessing on an annual basis. 

Yesterday I sought to move into retreat mode.  It is not easy to retreat. It is not easy to turn the mind, heart, and body off regarding tomorrow, and sometimes regarding yesterday.  Whether retreating or not, I am sure you can relate.  Our yesterdays and tomorrows are sometimes steadily with us. This thought, on my mind, is perhaps why I awoke somewhere in the night with these words from childhood days.

Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.

Yesterday He died for me, yesterday, yesterday;
yesterday, He died for me, yesterday.
Yesterday He died for me, died for me…
this is history.

Today He lives for me, today, today;
today, He lives for me, today.
Today He lives for me, lives for me…
this is victory.

Tomorrow He comes for me, He comes, He comes;
Tomorrow, He comes for me, He comes.
Tomorrow He comes for me, comes for me…
this is mystery.

O friend, do you know Him, know Him, know Him?
O friend, do you know Him, know Him?
O friend, do you know Him, do you know Him?
Jesus Christ the Lord!  Jesus Christ the Lord!  Jesus Christ the Lord!

I find it interesting that the title puts a period after each of the words; Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow. It as if each of these, stand alone, held securely with a specific truth.  The security of each day, and each moment of each day, is held in the hands of one, Jesus Christ. He is the same “Yesterday, today, and tomorrow” (Hebrews 13:8).  More than speaking of the eternal existence of Christ; no beginning and no end, this speaks of the incredible truth that ‘knowledge of Christ is possessed by the godly in all ages’ (Calvin). Wisdom to live our days is granted in knowing Christ.  Secured by his presence today, we know he holds tomorrow. Secured by his work on the cross in history, we live with certainty of his living presence in our lives and world today, for he rose from the dead and his Spirit dwells within us.

What is your yesterday that holds you?  What about today feels uncertain? What is your tomorrow, that you cannot see, and you wish to have control of?  I invite you to retreat into the space of ‘Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.’ Make sure you use the period.  Even now, ask the Spirit of God to step you back from where your thoughts and heart and body linger.  Oh friend, we do know him, and walk with him, trusting the one who lives for us and loves us. The Psalmist said, “His lovingkindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord is everlasting” (Psalm 117:2).

Together, may we retreat into these truths.

Eternal God you do not change, as shifting shadows.

“You’re the same today as yesterday,
My great unchanging friend;
You’re the same today as yesterday,
Just the same unto the end.
By your mighty power you hold me,
In your arms of love enfold me;
You’re the same today as yesterday,
My great unchanging friend.”  AMEN 

With care and in prayer,