TODAY IS…

the day to rejoice!

“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”  Psalm 118:24 KJV

Don’t feel like rejoicing today?

All we need to change that feeling is a good attitude. Let’s face it, hardly a day goes by that something doesn’t happen which would cause us to grumble if we didn’t maintain a good attitude and if we weren’t thankful to God regardless of what was happening in our lives.

George Matheson was a blind preacher from Scotland who lived in the latter half of the 1800’s. He once wrote, “My Dear God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You thousands of times for my roses, but not once for my thorns.”

The thorns in our lives are there to test and purify our faith.

In his letter to encourage suffering Christians, Peter wrote, “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold – though your faith is more precious than mere gold.” (1 Peter 1:7a NLT).

So should we rejoice because of the trials we face in life?

Not exactly.

We should rejoice in spite of the trials we face, knowing that God is with us and will not abandon us. We should rejoice because we will emerge from whatever trials we face as stronger, more confident, and more courageous Christians who are better equipped to do God’s work here on earth.

We can all learn a lesson in facing trials with the right attitude by reading Paul’s letter to the Philippians. In it, he wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4 KJV).

Considering that Paul was in prison when he wrote that, it is difficult to understand how he could be encouraging others to rejoice. However, if we examine the situation closely, we will learn that Paul is teaching us that our attitude does not have to reflect our physical circumstances. Paul knew – and we must too – that God was with him so it did not matter where his body was.

That is trust.

That is faith.

And with that trusting faith, the ability to rejoice is always at hand.

Today was made by God and it is His gift to each of us. Let us rejoice in it, regardless of our circumstances, and use it as an opportunity to serve Him and to glorify His name.

*******

Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson