PENTECOST XIII
September 6, 2020
“Day by Day”
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” “O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!”Psalm 118:24, 29
How do you react when you read these well-known, beloved verses? It’s easy to rejoice and thank the Lord for those days of joy and beauty — who wouldn’t pause and say, “Thank you God, for this day filled with blessings.” Other days, well, not so much. The closing verse of this psalm, one we also know well, reminds us of God’s enduring love, for which we give thanks daily.
An interesting feature of the Lutheran Study Bible is a descriptive term for each psalm. They include psalms that are calls to worship, pleas for justice, prayers in time of trouble, and trust in God when facing adversity. Psalm 118 is a song of victory, as the early verses praise God for providing protection and refuge against the enemy.
The margin notes cast another light on “the day the Lord has made” as we learn it can also be translated “this is the day that the Lord has acted.” Rather than celebrating the creation of a new day, we celebrate being rescued from a crisis by the Creator of all. These two interpretations are not contradictory, but give us a greater depth of understanding. God’s creative power is at work every day, in ways far beyond our vision or understanding. And God is taking action in our lives and throughout his creation, whether or not we’re perceptive enough to see that activity.
Messages of hope and affirmation of God’s endurance are repeated in many forms throughout both the Old and New Testaments. The prophets proclaimed God’s love for his people, his promise to never leave them, and the assurance of a Messiah who would free them from the bondage of sin. The Gospels tell of Jesus’ ministry on earth, and his message of love and service to all people. The letters of Paul and other writers to the emerging faith communities speak of living in harmony, sharing resources, caring for one another, and spreading the Gospel.
“So we are always confident; . . . . for we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 6a, 7
Planning, organizing, getting events and activities on the calendar, being where we’re supposed to be at the right time, are all basic activities in our everyday lives. When a natural disaster lands on top of a public health crisis, turning our lives sideways, it’s natural to feel disoriented and discouraged. We’ve been overwhelmed with the need to cope with so many problems and are more aware than ever of the necessity of both giving and accepting support from others.
As we work through the situations we can’t control, we are strengthened by the knowledge that each day is the creation and action of our Lord, as the promise of his steadfast love endures throughout all time.
Trying to take it day by day,
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers