A Day in Which to Rejoice

“The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Ps 118:22-24 AV)

Verse twenty-two is often used separate and apart from its context.  It is often used as speaking of the present day.  It is used as a means to encourage the saints to rejoice in the present day which God has provided.  That may be true, but the day of which the writer speaks is a certain day.  It is a day which occurred in the past.  At least for us.  It is a day which will occur for the writer sometime in the future.  The context of the day which the LORD has given is found in verse twenty-two.  That day is the day in which Christ has died for our sins and procured salvation to all who will call upon His name.

There are times when we find it hard to rejoice.  The loss of a loved one comes to mind.  This will be the first Christmas that I cannot call home and reminisce with my mother of all the holiday memories which she so masterfully provided.  There are others who cannot celebrate this holiday with rejoicing because of too many past Christmas’ filled with pain and sorrow.  There will be sad news to some.  There will be unfortunate turns of life for others.  Every day is not a day of rejoicing.  I will not rejoice in the day when I learned of my brother’s tragic passing.  There are those days.  Those days are part of being human.  Because of man’s sin, directly or indirectly, we all suffer from those bad days.  We may not have directly caused the circumstances nor God punishing us for some evil of the past.  It may be a circumstance from the overall sinfulness of mankind.  Whatever the cause, there are those days, weeks, months, or perhaps years wherein there is little joy to be found.

However, if we are saved, there is one day in which we can rejoice.  The memory of that day is beyond words.  The day that we repented of our sins, trusting in Christ, calling upon Him for salvation was a day of great rejoicing.  There was no better feeling in the entire experience of life.  Guilt was totally erased.  Peace reigned in our hearts.  It didn’t matte what life brought, no one or nothing could steal the joy that was in our hearts.  The writer says that we “will” rejoice and be glad.  This is present tense.  It happens no matter the circumstances.  It may be cliché, but if all things are contrary, we still are forgiven and on our way to heaven.  No matter how difficult life might be, we can still rejoice in the day of our salvation.