“This is the day the Lord has made; let us (me) rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)

Yes, let me rejoice and be glad today! NOW! Not yesterday, not tomorrow – today!

Yes, I know it’s Monday, Lord – BUT – You made Mondays, just like You make all the days – in fact, You have already made “all the days ordained for me, written in Your book, before even one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:16)

so just for today, I will give You thanks – no requests, no demands, no complaints, no whining, no criticizing, no doubting, no questioning, no striving, no plotting, no planning – today, just gratitude to You, Lord, because –

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

You give only good gifts – so today I will –

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” (Psalm 106:1)

today I will –

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Psalm 100:4-5)

just for today – I will put aside worry – after all, Jesus told His disciples –

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? . . . Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:27 & 34)

just for today – I will rest in Your green pastures, Heavenly Father and I will thank You for the peace and provision of the still waters that You lead me beside – I will not ask You, Heavenly Father, for more or for something different or for anything at all –

instead, I will thank You for Your mercies (new every morning) and for Your love and Your constant watchcare over me and Your faithfulness to me even when I am unfaithful. I will thank You for forgiving me of my sin and for dying in my place. I will thank You that You have loved me with an everlasting love that rescues me from sin and death. I will thank You for the beauty of Your creation that surrounds me. I will thank You for the promise of Your Presence never leaving nor forsaking me – Your Presence protecting, providing and guiding me today and every day.

today I will rejoice, I will pray and I will tell God thank You – just because – because God instructs me to do this in His Word –

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

so not just for today – I am to give thanks to my Heavenly Father in all circumstances – not only the green pastures and still waters days. Being a Monday (or any day really) this could very well be for me a desert crossing day, a mountain moving or a mountain climbing day, a valley of the shadow of death day, a fiery furnace day, a high waters day, a deep chasm day, a dark pit day, a surrounded by my enemies day, a lost my way again day – BUT –

no matter what my circumstance is today – just for today, I will choose to give all my gratitude and all my praise to my Redeemer – believing soon “just for today” becomes every day – because every day is –

“. . . the day the Lord has made;” every day is – a day for me to “rejoice and be glad in it.” today, I will –

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the God of gods. For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” (Psalm 136:1-3)

today, I will join with all of creation in rejoicing, in being glad and in giving God praise –

“Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns!’ Let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them! Then the trees of the forest will sing, they will sing for joy before the Lord, for He comes to judge the earth. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:31-34)

just for today – I will give God thanks, I will rejoice in Him, I will rest in His Presence.

sincerely, Grace Day