A Day to Rejoice
Scripture Reading — Psalm 118:1-24
The LORD has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.
In this psalm we celebrate with God’s people that the King has returned in triumph. With the battle won and the enemy defeated, we have been given victory over death. God’s steadfast love “endures forever.” Hosanna and hallelujah!
Like the psalmist, we can’t wait to begin our celebration of this day that the Lord has made—a day of rescue, a day of joy, a day of power, a new day, a beginning day, a day of life and light!
For each of us, this day dawns when we come to faith in Christ, when we see all that God has done for us and we believe and trust it is true.
For Jesus’ disciples it happened this way. On Sunday at dawn it seemed they faced a third day of grief, worry, alarm, fear, amazement, shock, and panic. Their teacher and friend was dead—put to death on Friday on a cross.
But when they went to his tomb, his body was gone. Angels said he had risen! Then the stories came in: Mary meeting Jesus in the garden, Cleopas walking with him to Emmaus. And then suddenly the resurrected Lord was standing there among them! (See Luke 24.)
This is indeed a day of rescue, a day of joy, a day of power, a new day, a beginning day, a day of life and light!
Hosanna and hallelujah! Let’s celebrate!
Jesus Christ, all our days are yours, for you have turned our night of mourning into our day of new life and rejoic-ing. Hallelujah! Amen.
About the author — Thea Leunk
Thea Nyhoff Leunk has been a high school English teacher, a director of Christian education, a pastor of discipleship, and a regional coach for the Christian Reformed Church in North America. She is currently the senior pastor at Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Thea has also written courses for teens and young adults on world religions, Christian faith traditions, and science and the Bible. She and her husband have three adult children.
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