"This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)
Have you ever taken a moment to think about this verse - I mean, really think about it? Most of us think we know exactly what this verse means. We should rejoice, because God allowed us to live! It's a new day!
This passage certainly is pretty straightforward. Even so, many of us still fail to realize what "This is the day that the Lord has made" really means in its entirety. What does it mean for God to make a day? It's definitely not merely a "You made my day" kind of thing. It's much more.
When God created the earth, He said it was good (Genesis 1:31). He created everything for a reason. And even since the Fall, God still creates things with a purpose. So when we say that this is the day that the Lord has made, it means that He planned it. He orchestrated it.
Because we live in the here-and-now, we tend to think that some days don't have much of a purpose. Well, here's another day at work. Another day of school. Another day of life. But God is eternal. He's the beginning, the end, and everything in between. He doesn't make anything meaningless. So if God made this day, then He has something very special in mind for it. That's not just poetic; it's literal.
God didn't create a day that is meaningless. He made this day - this hour - this moment - to change something in your life. Sometimes, though, we can diminish the plan God has for a day. We can choose not to live in the Spirit, and so completely miss out on what God was going to do in and through us that day. What God does in and through us is greatly dependent on how closely we walk with Him.
Maybe God wants to inspire a person through something you do or say. Perhaps He desires to use this day to bring someone into a relationship with Him by using you. He could yearn to use today to reveal to you a profound aspect of His character that you hadn't experienced. Or, He might use this day to prepare you for something even greater tomorrow. But this will never become a reality if you don't align your life to His will day by day.
This is the day that the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad in it.