A Difference

Good Morning,

Psalm 118:24 (NIV)
This is the day the LORD has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

There will be no moralizing or really any interpretation or explanation of Scripture today. Just a story of how just one verse of Scripture can make a difference in a life.

When I was 47 years old, after almost a lifetime of having NOT gone to church or walking with God, I came back to Him. It's a long, drawn out story about that, so we don't need to go into it. Suffice to say, God wanted me back and I was at a point where it seemed like the thing to do. My return was to a Catholic church as it was the only kind of church I had ever known and the only one I would have felt comfortable with. Needless to say, there had been many changes in the 30 or so years that I spent away from the Lord. One of the differences that was immediately noticeable...and extremely enjoyable, as well...was the music being played as I entered the church. Gone was the organ music filling the church and that was replaced by people playing guitars, drums, and singing by a small 4 or 5 piece band. I was surprised and pleased. So, how does this relate to the one verse of Scripture?

The song that was being played was a song based on the verse we read today. It would be nice if I had the music for you to listen to, but I don't. The chorus was:

Today is the day that the Lord has made,
Let us rejoice and be glad and be glad.
Today is the day that the Lord has made,
Hallelujah, hallelujah!

To be truthful, I didn't even know that the song was based on Scripture. You see, I'd never studied the Bible and really didn't know any Scripture. It wasn't until later that I learned where the song came from. What I DID know was that the words to that song filled my heart with joy and happiness. What I DID know, right at that moment...or maybe a moment later...was that I knew I had made the right decision to do what I could to return to God. For whatever His reasons, God opened my eyes to the beautiful and meaningful words from that verse as presented in that song. That song, that verse of Scripture, opened my eyes to a world that wasn't filled with evil and horror, but a world that had hope and joy. My ears heard and my mind understood the fact that every day is a day created by the Lord and we should rejoice in that fact and be very, very glad we have that day.

So, you see, one verse of Scripture from God's instruction book to us, the Bible, can...truly...make a difference in a life. One short verse can open eyes. One little verse can enter a heart. One verse can take a person from lost in the world of hate and evil into a world of joy and gladness.

So, remember TODAY, this very day you read these words, IS, indeed, a day that has been created by the Master of the universe, our Lord God. TODAY, this very day, is a day when we should be rejoicing in that fact and show our gladness and thanks to Him.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David