An encouraging word for the week.
“This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”-Psalm 118:24
Ponder this question with me — Do you realize that today, tomorrow, and every day to come is another opportunity to rejoice? Have you ever thought about that? But what does it mean to rejoice? I love how vocabulary.com defines the word rejoice: “To rejoice is to be incredibly happy, or to express your incredible happiness. If you just won millions in the lottery, you might rejoice by screaming at the top of your lungs. When you rejoice, you celebrate or feel extreme happiness.” It’s pretty unlikely that we will win millions of dollars in the lottery today. But the truth is, we have great reason to rejoice in this day and each day, even without winning the lottery. Why is this true?
We have reason to rejoice today, to choose to be grateful and glad about this day, because of this truth: God made another day that we get to be alive. God has given us another day in which we get to grow in our relationship with Jesus who is Lord and Savior! He has given us another day to breathe and eat and laugh and cry and learn and love…it’s another day that God has created and allowed. There will be no other today, ever. The truth is, He is over this very day and all days. He is ruling and reigning today, just as He was yesterday, as He will be tomorrow, and for all eternity. H.B. Charles Jr. put it so well: “This verse affirms a fundamental fact you can count on every day: God is in charge. God is in control. God is sovereign over every moment, event, and situation you will face today, tomorrow, and everyday. The Lord makes every day. And He reigns over all that He creates. Because God is in charge, you ought to rejoice and be glad every day. If you really believe that God the Father is good, faithful, and sovereign, you ought not to be miserable, frustrated, and hard to get along with. You ought to be grateful, joyful, and content. I am not saying that you have to like everything that is going on in your life. But you ought live with the confidence of Hebrews 13:8: 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore.’ It is one thing to know the truth of the Lord's unchanging goodness. But it is another thing to live it out.”
Oh, how we must be reminded to know this truth and to live it out! This day, this very moment, is a gift from God. Thus, we must and should rejoice! Today is a good day to purposefully take time to praise God for another day, to thank Him for His unfailing love, for His creativity, His kindness, His provision, His sovereignty, His forgiveness, His grace, His power, His everything. There are endless reasons for gratitude unto the Lord!
Is each day easy or without struggle? Of course not. There will be plenty of hard things to face in this life. Even still, we can rejoice! I’m reminded of Romans 5:3: “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.” So, as the Psalmist prayed so long ago, might we echo his prayer with joy: “This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Cheer up, friends!
-Scott