“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”

Hebrews 3:15 (NIV)

Jerusalem missed its divine appointment with Jesus. As He approached the city on Palm Sunday, Jesus wept over what could have been. "If you had only known on this day," He cried, pointing to a critical moment they failed to recognize. They celebrated Him as a king while missing who He truly was. Their "today" moment—their divine appointment with their Messiah—was passing them by, unnoticed.

God speaks the word "today" with deep purpose. This small word carries enormous weight in Scripture. It's not just about time—it's about opportunity. When Jesus said "on this day" to Jerusalem or when Hebrews says "today," God is pointing to a moment that matters right now—a chance that won't always be there, a door that stands open but might not stay that way.

Every "today" is a divine visitation. You woke up this morning to more than just another day on the calendar. You woke up to a day God has set aside for connection with you. Like Jesus approaching Jerusalem with tears of love, God approaches your life with divine appointments He wants to keep with you today. We often think of God's work as something from the past or something for the future. But God works most powerfully in the now.

Our problem isn't that God doesn't visit—it's that we don't notice. Jerusalem missed Jesus because they were looking for the wrong kind of Messiah. They wanted a conquering king, not a humble teacher on a donkey with tears in His eyes. We do the same. We look for God in the dramatic while He speaks in whispers. We expect Him on our terms and miss Him on His. The issue isn't God's absence but our awareness.

Hearts harden slowly, almost without notice. Jesus said the things of peace were now "hidden from your eyes"—not because God hid them, but because Jerusalem had developed spiritual blindness over time. This hardening doesn't happen overnight. It's more like calluses forming—one small resistance at a time, one ignored prompting, one delayed response, one "maybe tomorrow" after another. Before long, we can barely feel the gentle knock of God at the door of our hearts.

When God says, "Today," He challenges our procrastination. Jerusalem had multiple chances to recognize their Messiah before that fateful Palm Sunday. They witnessed His miracles, heard His teaching, saw His compassion—and still missed who He was. We are masters at putting off spiritual responses. We promise to pray more tomorrow, start serving next month, and deal with that sin next year. But God's timetable is always today. He knows the danger of delay.

Missed divine appointments carry real consequences. Jesus went on to prophesy what would happen to Jerusalem because they didn't "recognize the time of God's coming" (Luke 19:44). The city would be destroyed, with terrible suffering—not as vindictive punishment, but as the natural result of rejecting God's peace. When Hebrews says "Today," it reminds us of the Israelites who hardened their hearts and never entered God's rest. Their missed divine appointment became a permanent missed opportunity.

"God always speaks to us in the present tense. Fear, regret and worry are about past and future tense." —John Ortberg. This profound truth reminds us that God's most important word to us is always "today." Jerusalem looked back to past glory and forward to political freedom, missing God's presence right in front of them. Each divine appointment happens in its unique moment, bringing its unique grace, requiring our unique response.

Divine appointments often come disguised as ordinary moments. Jerusalem expected their Messiah to arrive with military might and political power. Instead, He went on a humble donkey with tears streaming down His face. God's visitation rarely looks like we expect. For Mary, it was an angelic visit while doing everyday chores. For shepherds, it was during a regular night shift. God seldom announces His presence with fanfare. Instead, He slips into our daily routines—and we must have eyes ready to see.

Jesus wept when people missed their "today" moment. Those tears reveal how deeply God cares about our response to His visitation. When we put off what God is asking of us today, it breaks His heart. The most dangerous word in spiritual life is "later." When God's Spirit nudges your heart about something, the time to respond is now. Tomorrow's response to God's today rarely happens. The heart that says "not yet" to God's invitation builds resistance to hearing the next one.

Godseekers, recognize what brings true peace before it's hidden. Jesus told Jerusalem they didn't recognize "what would bring you peace." Their political hopes blinded them to the Prince of Peace in their midst. Don't miss today's moment thinking about yesterday's failures or tomorrow's possibilities. God stands at the door of this present moment, knocking. His invitation won't always feel convenient or comfortable. It might require courage, sacrifice, or change. Respond to God's call...While It's Still Today.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, open my eyes to see You in my today. Like Jesus, who wept over Jerusalem, You desire me to recognize the time of Your visitation in my life. Forgive me for pushing spiritual matters to some distant tomorrow. Help me recognize Your voice when You speak, especially in unexpected ways. Soften any hardness in my heart that would resist Your invitations. Give me the courage to say yes to You today—not later, not when it's more convenient, but right now. Thank you for being so patient with my delays and resistance. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Personal Reflection

• What might Jesus be weeping over in your life today—opportunities for peace and grace that you're missing?
• How might God visit you in ways you've overlooked because they don't match your expectations?

Step of Faith

Today, I will recognize one area where I've been postponing obedience to God and take immediate action, knowing this is my "today" moment that might not come again.