Dear friend, …..
Today, yet again, I was greeted in the early morning by one of my 4 handicapped streets ministry doggies with her exceedingly joyful morning happiness as she virtually jumped up and down and danced around looking for someone to join her in her morning thanksgiving for a new day.
Disabled Gracie, hit by 2 cars on the same day after being dumped at a gas station years ago, is so thrilled at the prospect of a new day and all its possibilities that she literally can’t contain herself. Sometimes she is met with a snarl and snap by 14-year-old, slow-moving Abigail. Or she is faced with paralyzed doggies Mr. Simeon and Miss Mercy along with myself making a relatively slow start to the day.
Still, nothing stops Gracie from being ecstatic that she has another day of life.
Friend, I am humbled even writing this. The Lord tells us to rejoice – and, yes, to be glad – in this day. There are a zillion reasons to be thankful each and every day no matter our circumstances when we have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives.
The greatest blessing of all is the Lord Jesus Christ and the promise of everlasting life with Him instead of hell and the lake of fire forever when we turn from our sins, believe in Him as Lord who died on the cross to pay our sin penalty and was raised from the dead, and genuinely turn our lives over to the Lord and His ways.
Oh, but the reasons to be thankful each and every day go on – and on.
Today, the Lord used Gracie to remind me to be thankful. To rejoice. To celebrate. To be thrilled. To rejoice. That today is a new day the Lord has given me to love and worship and serve Him and to tell others about Him.
How about you, friend? Do you need the reminder to rejoice this very day?
“This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
lara