A Day to be Glad!

“This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!”  How many times have you heard that scripture quoted at the beginning of a service? Thousands, right? But how many times have you lived it? Are you living it right now? Did you get up with the purpose to rejoice that God had given you another day and just be glad? I will admit that when my alarm went off at 4:45, there was no joyful singing! It was more like a grunt and a whine. But as I went through my morning and waited for God to give me a word, I had to start repeating that verse to get going. The world, the news, your job, your situation, your family, can put you in a place where joy is the last emotion that you feel. But today, God wanted me to remind you that He is Lord, He has given you this new day, and it’s time to be glad about it. Today, He told me to just share Psalm 118 with you and let Him minister to you directly. It has become far too easy to look for encouragement in people instead of in the Lord. I don’t care what you’re going through, how tired you are, what mountains you are facing, His Word can get you through any situation.  So I encourage you to read this word and be reminded of just who God is to you.

 1-4 Thank God because he’s good,
    because his love never quits.
Tell the world, Israel,
    “His love never quits.”
And you, clan of Aaron, tell the world,
    “His love never quits.”
And you who fear God, join in,
    “His love never quits.”

5-16 Pushed to the wall, I called to God;
    from the wide open spaces, he answered.
God’s now at my side and I’m not afraid;
    who would dare lay a hand on me?
God’s my strong champion;
    I flick off my enemies like flies.
Far better to take refuge in God
    than trust in people;
Far better to take refuge in God
    than trust in celebrities.
Hemmed in by barbarians,
    in God’s name I rubbed their faces in the dirt;
Hemmed in and with no way out,
    in God’s name I rubbed their faces in the dirt;
Like swarming bees, like wild prairie fire, they hemmed me in;
    in God’s name I rubbed their faces in the dirt.
I was right on the cliff-edge, ready to fall,
    when God grabbed and held me.
God’s my strength, he’s also my song,
    and now he’s my salvation.
Hear the shouts, hear the triumph songs
    in the camp of the saved?
        “The hand of God has turned the tide!
        The hand of God is raised in victory!
        The hand of God has turned the tide!”

17-20 I didn’t die. I lived!
    And now I’m telling the world what God did.
God tested me, he pushed me hard,
    but he didn’t hand me over to Death.
Swing wide the city gates—the righteous gates!
    I’ll walk right through and thank God!
This Temple Gate belongs to God,
    so the victors can enter and praise.

21-25 Thank you for responding to me;
    you’ve truly become my salvation!
The stone the masons discarded as flawed
    is now the capstone!
This is God’s work.
    We rub our eyes—we can hardly believe it!
This is the very day God acted—
    let’s celebrate and be festive!
Salvation now, God. Salvation now!
    Oh yes, God—a free and full life!

26-29 Blessed are you who enter in God’s name—
    from God’s house we bless you!
God is God,
    he has bathed us in light.
Festoon the shrine with garlands,
    hang colored banners above the altar!
You’re my God, and I thank you.
    O my God, I lift high your praise.
Thank God—he’s so good.” (Psalm 118 MSG)

Is that not good?! Did it remind you of what He has done in your life? Did it cause you to reflect on how many times God has met you right where you are? He’s so good and His love never quits. So make a decision today to rejoice and be glad in it!

Amen…