One of my favorite gospel songs is “One Day at a Time, Sweet Jesus”, written by Marijohn Wilkin, with the help of Kris Kristofferson, in 1974.
As I read about the author and her struggles with fame and taking her eyes off Jesus, her life mimicked so many of our lives today. Many of us reach the mountain tops only to get away from what got us there and try to live our earthly desires through them.
Wilkin faced many hardships when she was young, but her attitude and desire helped her succeed to be one of the greatest song writers in history. She also promised her father, on his deathbed, that she would pursue a degree in music and take care of her aging mother. She did both and became very successful in her career field working with many famous singers and musicians.
As many people do, Wilkin became wealthy and well known among her peers. With all her success as a song writer, most of it in country music, she stopped attending church and eventually became an alcoholic. She attempted suicide;
however, she failed at the attempts to shoot herself through the misfirings of her gun.
Many people today want to end their life, just as Wilkin wanted to, even though they have had success in what they want to do. Some become burned out in their profession, some face difficulties in their finances, marriages, business dealings, and through losing loved ones to death. There are a lot of people in the world today that know Jesus personally but have taken their eyes off Him and put their faith and trust into worldly things.
Wilkin faced the same problem many of us today face. We believe in God and know Jesus personally, but we don’t think He remembers us or knows where we are in the world today. Wilkin had penned the words to her song on the back of an envelope and with the help of her good friend Kris Kristofferson put these words to a song, which has been recorded by over 200 artists and become one to the best gospel songs ever written.
It has so much meaning of what many are living today. Read the chorus of this song and I feel that many of us will understand that God knows where we are all the time, even when we are rejecting Him. All we can ask of Him is to give us “One Day at a Time.”
“One day at a time sweet Jesus that's all I'm asking from you
Give me the strength to do every day what I have to do
Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus and tomorrow may never be mine
So for my sake teach me to take one day at a time.”
It is my hope that all of you will find this song and read all the words. It would be well worth your time. Once we accept Jesus as our personal Savior, He is with us all the time. We may take our eyes off Him, but He will never forsake us.
