PENTECOST III
June 18, 2023
“Everyday . . . And Every Day”
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)
The Psalms often give voice to how people are thinking and feeling, but are unable to put these emotions into words. After thousands of years, the verses that speak of hope, fear, gratitude, joy, and humility continue to help us direct our thoughts, finding ways to express what’s in our hearts. This verse from Psalm 118 is celebratory and grateful, but there’s a little more to it, as well. This is a song of victory, and the writer praises the Lord for his steadfast love and protection in a time of conflict and danger. A margin note in the Lutheran Study Bible explains that this verse can be translated as “… the day the Lord has acted, let us rejoice and be glad in him.” Although this and every day are generous gifts from God, we learn also that he is acting on our behalf, and we can truly rejoice and be glad in him, knowing of his faithful love and care.
Recently, a friend commented that our weekly devotions often reference or incorporate aspects of everyday life, a positive aspect in her opinion. It’s mostly intentional, because, after all, whether writer or reader, our day to day experiences are a big part of who we are. Any day, every day, we see the Lord acting; where there’s love and grace and joy; where there’s comfort, compassion, and kindness, God is there through his people as they are his hands, his voice, his presence.
Every day has the potential to be a holy day. In the first chapter of Genesis, the poetic cadence of the creation story describes the progressive actions of God’s creative power. Each passage — each day — concludes with “And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning, the first day.” The only change comes following the sixth day, when God finished the work he had done and rested; he blessed the seventh day and hallowed it.
How many times have you heard the expression, “It’s the little things that count”? What may seem like a pretty ordinary day for you may be far from ordinary for another person. Your interest, your willingness to listen, may make a big difference in something they’re trying to cope with. That’s because God can use us in ways we don’t understand or plan — we’re just blessed to be included in doing his work in this world!
Every day is created by God, filled with opportunities for every one of us to thank and praise him, sharing the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ, secure in the faith that he is with us in the ordinary, the everyday, the routine — every single day.
Psalm 118 begins and ends with these joyful words of faith and praise:
“O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!”
Giving thanks for the everyday, and every day,
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers