This is the day the LORD has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24 (NLT)
Each dawn is a gift from God. The fact that the sun rises and sets is a present from Him to you. Some days feel more like a blessing than others. On those days when our hearts are laden with sorrow or worry, we would do well to find our joy not in the gift but in the Giver.
The psalmist does not tell us to look within and dredge up a semblance of happiness even when life crushes our peace and joy. He doesn’t say rejoice and be glad because of it. He says rejoice and be glad in it.
Each day we wake up on planet Earth is a gift from God. He made this day, today, with a special objective in mind. He created it, fashioned it, for you and me. On purpose, for a purpose, and as part of His divine purpose. There is nothing random about it.
Because of Christ’s love for us and His mercy and grace, we can rejoice even in the midst of the darkest moments. Our joy and peace are found, not in what each day contains, but Who contains each day. What matters most is not the what in each day but the who – Christ Himself, with us, moment by moment, until we reach the Promised Land.
Thought: “God gives us today as a gift. He wants us to pursue it, not just for selfish ambition but to do something meaningful with it. To use it to grow to love others well, to help someone, to pursue a dream He’s put on our hearts, … to be open, to believe, to hope.” – Tim Tebow
For further reading:
- Psalm 5:3
- Lamentations 3:22-23
- Psalm 143:8
- Psalm 90:14
Excerpt from my devotional, A Year in God’s Classroom