This Day Is A Gift

"This is the day the Lord has made.  I will rejoice and be glad in it."

Just got back from a quick trip to the Post Office which I should have done yesterday, but forgot.  As I drove home, the sun came out and reflected off the leaves wet from last night's rain.  It's still so beautiful here in Vermont.  The colors in my local area are still vibrant and they glisten in the early morning sun.

As I drove home, I thought about the things I needed to do today, places to go.

make croutons

make phone calls

visit Dad at the nursing home

make deposit at bank

go to the grocery store 

etc, etc. 

All was good until I thought about where I have to go tonight.  I really do not want to go.  It's one of those social situations I feel most awkward in because I am not part of a couple.  I really would rather just stay home.  But I've promised and before the Lord, I cannot break that commitment, so I will go, but "Lord," I softly pray, "change my heart regarding this.  Help me to see this as a blessing.  You know how this invitation came about and you engineered this from the beginning, so I believe you have purpose in it.  Help me to be open to that, Lord.  I surrender it to you."

Then I remember - each day is a gift, given to me by God, to open and do with as I choose.  When I give somebody a gift, I want and hope that they will - open it, be surprised by it and love it.  I also hope that they see the love that has gone into preparing it for them.  Beyond that, I have no control.  They can do what they want with it at that point. 

I see that God has given me this day as a gift.  He wants me to - open it, be surprised by it and embrace it.  He wants me to see the love that has gone into His preparation of this gift for me.  Now, what I do with it, is up to me.  Do I receive it as a gift from Him and cherish every minute of it or do I rail against all that He has prepared for me in this day?  Hands open to receive or hands closed to decline?

THIS is the day the Lord has made.  I WILL rejoice and be glad in it.  Thank you, Lord, for the choice.  Thank you for this day.  Thank you for the seemingly hard thing you've asked me to do this day.  I CHOOSE to rejoice in this, knowing you have chosen it for me.

I am ready now to meet this day head on and am even excited to see what God unfolds through this day, and yes, even this evening, for -

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."  James 1:17

 

 

 

Rejoice in the gift of this day!  Rejoice in HIM!