Did you ever forget an important day? A special birthday, or an anniversary? Well TODAY is a day you definitely don’t want to miss! Do YOU know what day it is TODAY ??
Today’s an important day for me, because my wife and I are celebrating our 39th wedding anniversary; while that certainly makes today special for her and I, it doesn’t impact you. It also happens to be National Dessert Day in the United States, an obscure celebration that appears to have been made up by a marketing company to generate higher sales for one of its clients. But THAT’s not really what makes today a special day either, although coffee and dessert go together well so I’m in favor of a small sweet treat after dinner. Yemen is celebrating their Liberation Day. Ukraine is celebrating their annual Day of the Defender, an annual day set aside to honor the bravery and heroism of those who defended Ukrainian independence and territorial integrity. But the day I am speaking about transcends national boundaries, impacts every gender and can be celebrated by anybody, anywhere all day long.
Today’s verse says THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE. WE WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT.
Every national holiday or day of celebration revolves around remembering a very important fact or person. Some things are so important that we need to be reminded of them over and over again, teach them to our children and either remember in solemnity or enjoy in celebration. But OTHER things, though they may have a national holiday assigned, are so important that they cannot be remembered on ONLY one day. These things are essential and, CAN’T BE forgotten or taken for granted, they have to be treasured each and every day. If I don’t love my wife deeply and deliberately day by day, then my wedding anniversary will lose its value and become meaningless. Expressing undying commitment once a year doesn’t quite cut it. Celebrating the freedom or independence of your nation or people each year is important, but if you don’t treasure the principles, rights and responsibilities won by those who fought to win them for you then you will certainly lose them.
THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE.
TODAY is a special day. It is special because the LORD has made it, and he has placed it into your hands. Today is a precious gift that is yours to live out. How will you use it? He not only made the day, but He made you. When He made you He created you with specific talents and abilities, He fitted you together in your mother’s womb and made you on purpose. That purpose is contained in the good works He prepared beforehand for you to do. He wants you to walk in them. And there are at least TWO reasons for that.
The first reason is that He will be glorified as you live out who He created you to be. Your life was designed to make a difference, and that impact was intended to point back to the Creator who loves you and loves this world. The second reason is that becoming who God has created you to be will fulfill you in ways you could never imagine. Operating in your gifts, exercising your abilities and skills, applying your talents — these things will resonate within your heart. There’s nothing quite like being who God created you to be and watching Him impact others through YOU.
WE WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT.
As you walk out His will in your world you’ll see His power used in you for His glory. The lives of those around you will be changed by your obedience and faithfulness. THAT is the reason we rejoice. The best part is that we don’t need to wait to see results before we make the choice to rejoice. We can rejoice in the call and the gifts. We can rejoice in the fact that THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE and we have the opportunity to follow Him and see what He is up to today. Living this way will be most difficult, but the hardest challenges in life can be overcome with His strength; and you can make the choice to rejoice anyway.
Mother Teresa once posted a poem on the wall of a children’s home in Calcutta. Here’s what it said:
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered; forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; be honest and frank anyway.
When you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will forget tomorrow; do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; give the world the best you have anyway.
You see in the final analysis, it is between you and God; it never was between you and them anyway.
So today, let’s you and I make the choice to rejoice.
