Sue Shellenbarger, "Work & Family" columnist for The Wall Street Journal, has encountered hundreds of people who, she says, "essentially live for the future, taking refuge in visions of a relaxed, rewarding personal and family life somewhere down the road." She calls this "the 'tomorrow trap'—a kind of mirage that people chase while in reality they are burying themselves in work and other pursuits."

Many of us who say our families are important don't live as if they are. Perhaps without realizing it, we have devalued today in favor of an imagined tomorrow that may never come.

As you read Colossians 3:12-25, try including the word today with each verse. "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts" today (v.15). "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly" today (v.16). Along with the specific instructions given to wives, husbands, children, and fathers (vv.18-21), include the word today. The Word of God comes to us with a sense of urgency and immediacy, calling us to obey now, rather than somewhere down the road of life.

The only way to escape the "tomorrow trap" is to begin following God's guidelines in our work and in our family relationships—today!    — David C. McCasland