ON THE VANGUARD

CHOOSE JOY
“This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Psalm 118:24

Have you ever notice how many things we are in charge of choosing? For instance, while we are not able to choose our family, we are able to choose our friends. In many cases we are able to choose what food we will eat, what clothes we will wear, what college we will attend, or what toppings we want on our Subway sandwich. But there is one major thing we are allowed to choose daily, in fact minutely, that we simply let slide. We are able to choose joy. Yet if we are able to choose joy, then why do we not? Why do we allow the mundane to steal our joy and keep us down and depressed?
I have to admit that I do not always carry a smile on my face. Truth be told, I sometimes look like I have spent the day sucking on lemons. Yet I have been challenged in the few days since the year began to work on my joy, and Psalm 118:24 has been a key factor in this challenge. We read the words, “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” In order to understand where joy comes from, we first have to understand where our joy should not always come from. Now please note, I am not saying that things like family and friends should not bring us joy, but they simply should not be the only thing. Back in late October I found myself beginning to have feelings for a special someone. The little emails and texts we passed to each other throughout the day brought a smile to my face, and still do when I receive them from her even now. But what I found was that my joy was becoming based on what she was doing and how she was making me feel. While allowable, I found that I was more joyous with her words and actions than in Christ. In short, I was finding my joy in her.
But again I point out, I am not saying that things like family and friends should not bring us joy, but they simply should not be the only thing. The verse reads, “This is the day the LORD has made…” The day was not made by my family and friends. The day was made by the LORD. As such, should I not find joy in Him? Yes, perhaps He brings family and friends to bring joy, but I think the majority of my joy needs to come in what He has done. In Lamentations 3:22-23 we read that His compassions are new each morning. That is something worth being joyful about. In John 3:16 we read that God gave us His only Son. That is something to be joyful about. And in Romans 8:35-39 we read a list of things that cannot separate us from God’s love. That also is something to be joyful about. Put just these three examples together and we have a God whose mercies are new daily, who loves us enough that He gave us His Son, and who allows nothing to prevent us from His love even now. Is this not worth being joyful about?
So then with this thought, the challenge is in our laps. “…let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Let us not throw a pity party, let us not fret, let us not fear, and let us not live unsatisfied. No! Let us rejoice and be glad! Let us recall all He gives us daily and find joy in His ways. This is the day that He has made specifically for us, let us rejoice and be glad in His present.