Let Us Rejoice and Be Glad

December 1, 2022

Psalm 118:24 - This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

December’s theme for Blessed Intentions is Rejoice in the Lord. One of the most powerful ways to find joy in the Lord is through prayer and worship.  The Bible instructs us to “Rejoice in the Lord.” 

When things go well and the sun is shining, when we have just received a wonderful surprise or had some encouraging news of a dear loved one, it’s so easy to rejoice because our hearts are full of praise to the Lord. I’m sure many of us have heard this verse over the years, but many times, when a verse like this becomes so familiar, we tend to miss the deeper meaning of why it was written.

So what “Day” are they referring to? Does it mean today? Or a specific day in history?  It’s not known for sure, but it is believed that David wrote this Psalm, and it’s actually written not during times that were good, but when times were really hard. Situations were changing. He was crying out to God in anguish because he was surrounded by his enemies.  He felt like he was being pushed back and ready to fall. But right in the middle of these huge struggles, this chapter starts and ends with the same verse, giving thanks and praise to God. 

True joy is not dependent on our circumstances. To choose joy during hard times takes a lot of effort and action on our part! It requires our hearts to be set on God. The good news is, God is faithful in helping us and we can be assured of His grace and goodness and love will carry us through the most difficult seasons in life. 

Remember, if you are facing a tough time right now, God is still giving us hope that we can face tomorrow. He is the very reason we can live with joy in the battles and have peace that is unexplainable to the world. He is with us, and will never leave us or fail us.