“This is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it!”
Psalm 118:24
“BEEP-BEEP-BEEP” As I reach over groggily to turn my alarm clock off, I say in a half-awake whisper, “this is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it.” After my bare feet pad their way over to the bathroom sink so I can throw water on my face to help me wake up, I say more confidently with a smile on my face, “this is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it.” As my baby lays on the changing table after waking up I sing to him, “This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it…”.
Why this morning mantra you ask? The Bible describes our mind as a battlefield (Romans 7:23). As believers we have the Holy Spirit living inside us wanting to transform us through the renewal of our minds (Romans 12:2). Unfortunately there is also a very real enemy out there who is described as the father of lies (John 8:44). He takes great pleasure in trying to make us succumb to the doubt, discouragement and deceit he whispers in our ears.
The Bible places great emphasis on godly knowledge and wisdom. And because I have the knowledge that my mind is a battlefield, I wisely choose to start my day primed for victory! Instead of waking up and dejectedly thinking about how many more hours of sleep your body is craving, or how many household chores await your presence, or how you can keep your little ones entertained at the hospital while their older sibling gets a check-up, I encourage you to instead begin your day rejoicing in the Lord and telling yourself that whatever God requires of you today (and everyday), you can do all things (rejoicing) through Him who gives you strength (Philippians 4:13).
Noree Wegmeyer
photo credit: http://www.freeimages.com/photographer/asura-45946
In these verses, we see the Good Samaritan not only checking on the man, but soothing his wounds, bandaging him, allowing him to ride his donkey (while he probably walked), and making sure he was well taken care of as he healed. Serving and having true compassion for others isn’t always easy and can get messy at times. We have been called to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth, and most of the time this requires us to get our hands dirty and go the extra mile even at the expense of our own safety and comfort. Today, let’s pray that God will helps us to serve others with a humble and willing attitude no matter how far out of our comfort-zone God may lead us.
When my husband and I pulled into the driveway after our workout at the gym, I noticed the ivy around the garage window needed to be cut back. Since I’d mentioned it to him several times before I said, “Maybe it’s time for us to move to a smaller place.”