According to Psalm 118:24, this is the day. This is the day the Lord made, the day He acted, created, did something vital to our existence. Actions create the opportunity for a response; God acted, so what’s our response? The Psalm goes on to say, that God made this day, so we should rejoice and be glad in it. We should be smiling from ear to ear. We should be ready to do a happy dance. So, what’s getting in the way?
Perhaps we have become so used to giving all our energy and power to our to-do lists, or our jobs, or our circumstances, that we scarcely can remember what day it is, much less celebrate it. We have routines that we imagine must be accomplished, things that only we can do, people who need us, and responsibilities we can scarcely manage. If we happen to recall that God’s mercies are new every morning, that might help us feel more like celebrating, but we’re so busy cleaning up yesterday and preparing for tomorrow that today simply doesn’t exist for us. The odd thing is that today is all we have.
That renowned comedian, Groucho Marx, said, “I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.” Makes me wonder if Groucho read the Psalms. Our challenge is to step aside from the news, the social media, and those things that depress the spirit, and focus on what we can do now, today, that will make a difference. The fact is the list is nearly endless. No matter what you do for a living, whether you are single or married, or whether you are experiencing challenges, you can celebrate. You can offer encouragement to your neighbor, praise your co-worker for helping you, thank your children for being so thoughtful, and pray for all those who vex your spirit or challenge your soul.
God is with you today, cheering for you, holding you up, and loving you right where you are. He is ever-present, and that means He knows everything going on in your life. He sees you right where you are and all He wants from you is that you will look up, let Him help you, let Him comfort you, and bless you because that’s what He wants to do today. That is your reason to celebrate, to rejoice and to be happy. You don’t have to wait for tomorrow to be loved and appreciated. Time to do that happy dance!