Joy for Today
Psalm 118:24
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
This brings a couple of memories to mind. The first is going to St James Christian Methodist Episcopal Church as a child in Leavenworth, KS. There was a hymn that we sang that had this verse in it. It went a little like this:
“This is the day, this is the day,
The Lord has made, the Lord has made;
I will rejoice, I will rejoice,
And be glad in it, and be glad in it;
This is the day that the Lord has made,
I will rejoice and be glad in it;
This is the day, this is the day,
That the Lord has made.”
Another memory is of one of my early mentors in life. She had this scripture hanging in her home. You would see to when you walked into her house. If anyone had a reason to complain, it was her. Nevertheless, she always had a smile on her face instead. There was no room for complaining, no space for negativity, today was a great day because God allowed us to be alive.
That spoke a lot to me. It reminded me to be aware that everyday was an opportunity. It reminded me to be thankful for anything and everything that I have. It reminded me that everyday was a blessing.
Therefore, that was my interpretation of this verse. Many people interpret this verse in the very same way. This is not a bad interpretation because all of those things are true! Nevertheless, I believe there is more to this verse.
If we are talking about this “very day,” today can be very relative.
Some people wake up “today” to a day that is filled with joy. They are waking up to a new season; to a new day. Today is a new opportunity. It is a day of new excitement. It’s a day that brings a smile to your face. It is a day of new beginnings. It is a day to count your blessings. Today is the day the Lord has made.
Yet, at the same time, there are people that are waking up to a difficult day. To a day of trouble, a day of loss. To a day of mourning. A day of “bad news.” A day that is hard to get out of bed. A day that seems like there is no hope in sight. It is a day of testing, a day of hurt, a day of pain. People are waking up to a day of struggle and continued hard-pressed endurance. The day that the Lord has made also happens to be an unfortunate day for some.
While today may be a great day for some, it is also a difficult day for others. Therefore, how do we rejoice in a day like this? It is easy to rejoice when things are well. Nevertheless, how do we rejoice when it seems like there is nothing to rejoice about?
“This is the day.”
What day is this passage referring to?
Is it referring to this very day?
Is it referring to any day?
Or is it referring to a specific day?
As I mentioned before, it can refer to this very day, and it can refer to any and every day. Yet, is it possible that it might be referring to a more specific day in history?
To find that answer, let’s back up a few verses so we can get a better perspective. Let’s begin in verse 21:
Psalm 118:21-23
“21 I thank you that You have answered me and have become my salvation. 22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. 23 This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.”
The psalmist is speaking about a specific person. It is the same person in all three verses. That person He is talking about is Jesus. He says that the stone, being Jesus, that was rejected by the builders is the same one that became the cornerstone.
If you want to know about construction, I am not your guy!
Cornerstone = | The starting stone to the construction of any building; the foundation for the entire structure. The cornerstone was the most important as the entire building was built off of its position. |
Jesus became the cornerstone of our salvation. God being the architect had already chose Him in advance to be the foundation of our redemption. Our entire faith is built on Christ.
This is why we put Jesus first, because when we do everything else falls in line afterwards. When we put Him first in our day, finances, relationships, marriage, family, etc, everything else follows.
23 This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.”
It is “marvelous” for us as we are the receivers of His grace. Ironically, the stone that the builders (religious leaders) rejected was the only person that could actually do it. Thank you Jesus that He did do it!! It is marvelous! Amazing! Breathtaking! Unbelievable! Why? Because it was impossible!
Not one of us were able to close the gap that was in between us and God. We had no chance. I had no idea how impossible my chances were outside of Christ. You had no idea how impossible it was for you. We weren’t living before we came to Christ, we were DEAD!! (Ephesians 2)
But Jesus, being the stone that everyone rejected, the stone I rejected, the stone we all rejected, became the foundation of the building that we would all one day walk into for the salvation of our souls.
Isn’t He MARVELOUS!! Isn’t He marvelous church!!!
“THIS” is the day that the Lord has made!!
It is the day of salvation. It is not just a literal 24-hr day, but the full gospel day! It is the day that Jesus rose from the dead and defeated death, hell and the grave, making it possible for your soul to be saved! That day gives us reason to rejoice!!
With that said, that day also impacts my TODAY!!
That day God did the impossible. He did what no one could do. It was the greatest miracle of all time. There is no miracle greater than the miracle of salvation! There is no greater miracle than God transforming a man from a sinner to a saint, all an instant!
If God could do that, if He could do the impossible, then God can help me with my today. If God could do the impossible, He can give me ____ for today:
Strength
Help
Wisdom
Peace
Patience
Work through my struggle
Help me overcome
Be enough for me today
And in that I can rejoice! I can be glad that I can lean on God today. I can be glad that I can recline on God today…trust in Him today…hope in Him today.
This is the day the Lord has made… and I have a reason to rejoice.
Because of what Jesus did on “that day”, I can trust that God will be my help in “this day”.
Takeaways:
Re-count Your Blessings
Psalm 118: 17“I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.Psalm 118: 19“Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.”
Things may be hard but God is still on the throne.In the end, do not allow your current circumstances to steal your joy.Let us not allow the bitter waters of life to turn us sour. Instead let us choose to be thankful.
Remember Your Cornerstone
Make Jesus the cornerstone in every area of your life
Family
Marriage
Finances
Relationships
Job
Day
Etc
Rejoice in Your Refuge
Refuge = The place we run to in times of trouble
Psalms 118 is a reminder that God is the one we should run to when we need help.
Psalm 118:8-9
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. 9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.”
God is our help in our very time of need.
Because of what Jesus did on “THAT DAY”, I know that God will be my help in “this day”.
How do we rejoice in times of difficulty? By finding joy in trusting in Him. God will give you the strength, patience, endurance and everything else you need for today. That is a reason to be glad. We can find joy for today through God’s provision in our time of need.
Psalm 118:24
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
No matter your circumstance, there is joy for today.
