when everything's a battle... rejoice...

These last few days... everything feeling like a battle... I started a list... What not to do... when everything's a battle...

• Do not have scrambled eggs for breakfast -- it's really hard to get all those little pieces of shell out before you scramble it...
• Do not wear cream colored pants...
• Do not write with a red ink pen... unless wearing red...
• Do not drink coffee... unless wearing brown...
• Do not pick up a large to-go tea in a Styrofoam cup by the lid...
• Do not pick up a large to-go tea in a Styrofoam cup by the lid... again...
• Do not attempt to practice "new" when you're the only one around...

When everything's a battle... everything's a battle...

But what I've found... in the midst of battle --- remembering Him... what He has done... that He's at work... that this is the day He has made --- is joy...

Weird...

This unexpected joy... in surrendering the battle to Him... sent me looking for a specific verse...

This is the day that the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24 ESV

A verse I bet you're familiar with... yet have you ever looked at the context...?

I did this time... and discovered... this day that the Lord has made... is a specific day...

Open to me the gates of righteousness,

that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.

This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it.

I thank you that you have answered me

and have become my salvation.

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

This is the day that the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 18:19-24 ESV

This day... that the Lord has made... is the day... when He opened the gates of righteousness to His people... to those who believe by faith... through His Son... the gate... the Way... into His presence...

The stone the builders rejected... He is now the cornerstone... the foundation of the faithful...

This is the Lord's doing... on behalf of creation... and the creatures He loves...

This day... marks the day the victory was ensured... every battle faced today can be faced with joy... because our perseverance... persistence... and firm stance... has attached to it... a guaranteed victory...

Each battle... an opportunity to grow in the grace of Jesus... the ultimate goal of our faith...

Each challenge... an opportunity to rejoice... in the victory to come... 

This is the day... the Lord has made...

let us rejoice... and be glad... in it...