This is the Day that the Lord Hath Made
Text: Psalm 118:24
If you will, please take your Bible’s and open them up to Psalm 118, and our text this morning is going to be verse 24… so Psalm 118:24. If you don’t have a Bible, we invite you to use our Pew Bibles, and you’ll find this passage on page ________.
Now this is a great Psalm… one of my favorites, so please follow along with me as I read out text (READ Psalm 118:24).
A few years ago, I was visiting with some old friends from way back. And they were talking about all the crazy things we used to do, and some of it I remembered to my shame, but there were a couple of occasions where this friend of mine would bring up some old story, and ask me, “Do you remember that?” And I honestly didn’t remember it. And he was like, “How can you not remember that?” And I said to him, “Because, I’m living the life I’m living now, not the life I was living 30 years ago.”
The past is gone, and we can’t change it. And that future you’re either worrying about, or maybe dreaming about may – or may not, arrive. But we have today – right now – and we are given each day as a gift from God.
I once had a pastor friend tell me that his daily prayer went something like this – “Dear Lord, so far today I am doing alright. I haven’t gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy, or selfish. However; in a few minutes, I’m going to be getting out of bed, and I’m gonna’ need a lot of help after that.”
Now maybe that’s a prayer you need to start your day with, but I think a better one would be Psalm 118:24 – THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE. I WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!
That’s a good way to start your day!
Now I don’t know about y’all, but I learned that song early on as a Christian. I’ve been singing it ever since, and the reason I do that is because it encourages me. There’s no way you can sing that song and not be lifted up, and I think the reason it encourages me is because it’s the truth! It’s right here in God’s Word! And it reminds me that TODAY – this day – was made by God. This day – is not just random. It’s not just happenstance. It is the day that the Lord has made!
Now… how do I know that? Because the Bible tells me so. Genesis 1:1 – the very first in the Bible says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” John 1:3 says, “All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.” That’s JESUS!
Listen to how Psalm 104:10-24 describes the work of God’s hands (READ).
So God created all things, and God sustains all things. Colossians 1:16-17 says that, “For by Him (Jesus) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
I love that passage… not only were all things created by Jesus, and through Jesus, but He’s the one that keeps all things together. And what these verses tell us is that God… our God… our Make and Creator, didn’t just create the universe and wind it up like a clock, and set things in motion, and then just leave it on its own. Nope! He’s to this very day, still holding all things together. He is our Make AND our Sustainer!
So all those things that we just read about in Psalm 104 – the birds, and the young lions, the sun and moon, time and seasons – all of it, is held together by Jesus! God is active, and involved in every second… EVERY MILISECOND, in His creation!
And you know what else? He’s in complete control of it all!
Psalm 93:1 – “The Lord reigns: He is robed in majesty; The Lord is robed; He has put on strength as His belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.”
Psalm 115:3 – “Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases.”
So our God is our Maker, our Creator, our Sustainer, and He is Sovereign over all He has made. The Lord reigns; He is ruler and master over all that He has made.
And that should be encouraging to us who are His people. Because the fact of the matter is, we mess up. We make mistakes. We say the wrong things, and do the wrong things, and foul things up from time to time. We lose control, things get past us, and we as human beings have a real tendency to mess things up. But not God.
And so if this is the day that the Lord has made… what’s the appropriate response?
LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!
Sometimes… man… I’m serious… sometimes it seems like people are like, “This is the day that the Lord has made… let us be sad and mope in it.” And sometimes it seems like there are folks who are like, “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us grow bitter and angry and spiteful in it.”
Let us be anxious? Let us be fearful? Let us grumble and complain? That’s not what it says, and that’s not what we should do. We know this God who has made all things, and who sustains all things, and rules over all things! Rejoice and be glad in the day that the Lord has made! Amen!
Why?
Well go back to Psalm 118, but this time, look at verse 1. Psalm 118:1 (READ).
Give thanks to the Lord – WHY? – Because He is good! He is good and His steadfast love endures forever! That’s why. Now jump down to the last verse of this Psalm… Psalm 118:29 – “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever.”
God is good – and what God makes is good – and what God does is good – and even the evil that is in the world – God will work together for God. Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”
So if this is the day that the Lord has made, and the Lord is good… then guess what?
So is this day!
But what if something bad happens today?
Verses 5, 6, & 7, “Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The lord is on my side as my Helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.”
You guys understand, this whole Psalm, Psalm 118, is a Psalm of victory! You can read through it, and see that the guy who wrote it – probably King David, was in a bad place. He was having a rough go of things. But then he turned his eyes upon Jesus.
King David turned his eyes upon Jesus? Yeah… that’s exactly what I’m saying. This psalm is quoted in all four Gospel accounts. Jesus quoted verses 22 and 23 about Himself in Matthew 23:29, Mark 12:10-11, and in Luke 13:35. The praises the people shouted and sang during the triumphal entry come from verse 26, and we see that in all four Gospels. And probably, this is the hymn that Jesus and the disciples sang at the end of the Last Supper (we read about that in Mark 14:26).
So understand, this is a Psalm about Jesus. At the cross it looked like He was defeated. He was surrounded by enemies on all sides. The serpent had bruised His heel… but we know the rest of the story – HE CRUSHED THE SERPENTS HEAD! And He was raised up because of our justification and is now seated at the right hand of the Father!
And so as our Thanksgiving holiday season ends, and we turn our hearts toward the Advent Season, and year to come. I’m going to challenge you all to take up a New Years Resolution… but you can start it right now, and get a jump on it… you can be practicing it so you’ll have it down pat when the New Year begins.
So here’s your challenge. I challenge you to begin each day with Psalm 118:24 on your lips – “This is the day that the Lord has made. I WILL rejoice, and be glad in it!”
Are there tough days ahead? ABSOLUTELY. Without a doubt. If I said, no, I’d be lying. We’re all going to face different struggles from now until Jesus comes.
For some of you it’s going to be financial struggles… only God knows if our economy can withstand another year of the idiot policies coming out of DC. For some of you it’s going to be health related. Maybe you personally, maybe a loved one.
We don’t know what tomorrow holds, but we know WHO holds tomorrow. He’s the One who created all things, and Who holds all things together. In Him we live, and move, and have our being. He is God almighty! He is our Lord. He is the One who loved you so much that He came to this earth as a man, and went to the cross for your sins, and died on that cross, taking the wrath of God that you and I deserved.
HIS NAME IS JESUS!
And He loves you with an everlasting love.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He IS good, and His steadfast love endures forever!
This is the day the Lord has made, He calls the hours His own; Let heaven rejoice, let earth be glad, and praise surround the throne.
CLOSING
