This Is The Day

We are now in the middle of February, March will soon be here, and according to the big calendar on the wall, it is winter, but we can tell spring is just around the corner. In parts of this great country there are those who still have snow and temperatures below freezing, but here in the panhandle of Florida we still can feel the nip of winter in the night air although the days may have overcast skies, and we are beginning to shed our light jackets rapidly. With those overcast days also come stormy, rainy nights followed by rainy, dreary days.
    As I have experienced a couple of such days recently, the Lord has opened my eyes once again to see His beautiful handiwork around us. Often I have stood on the front porch as a big roaring storm was coming through, (though the weatherman and Judy my, wife say its not wise, so please know I am not suggesting that you do this), and admire those boisterous clouds as they roll through with the powerful winds they produce and the electrifying lightning that reminds me that I’m glad I will never have to experience the wrath of God.
    Then there are those days when I feel I have so much to accomplish that I run through the rain to get to my car. I actually begin the morning dreading the drive as I prepare for the bad driving conditions that I will experience that day. It was just one of those days, you know, when I would have preferred not to even get out of bed. The rain was steady and would probably be that way all day. Judy was on the road traveling back from North Georgia from a visit with her parents. I had just finished my quiet hour with the Lord and His Word. I walked out on the front porch, greeted the dogs lying under the shelter of the porch, and decided just to take a seat with them.. They seem to like it when I just stop a little bit and acknowledge their faithfulness. The rain continued to fall at a good steady rate all around and trickle through the big Oak tree just out from the porch. All of a sudden I noticed that that which seemed so irritating and dreary as we
 drive through it, trying to accomplish the task that we have set for that day, is actually very beautiful and refreshing as it is a gift from God. I was reminded of Psalms 118:24 as David gave us wonderful instructions of how we should approach each day, as he wrote, “This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it” (NKJV).
    Then a few days later a similar day occurred and once again I was rushing from car to buildings trying to accomplish a day’s task and trying to stay fairly dry and comfortable. To my surprise as I drove up to the house later that day, with the windshield wipers flapping, I saw six boys, two of them mine and all old enough to know better, playing basketball, yes in the rain and soaked. No, I did not scorn them or put a stop to their game, for I remembered it had only been a couple of years, times ten, since I was their age, and actually the idea of joining them did go through my mind, if I hadn’t had other obligations, for it would have probably been great therapy for me because of the day that I had had. But once again I was reminded that this was a precious wonderful day the Lord had given to me, though maybe not the day that I had hoped for or would have ordered if I could have. It was still a gift from God and one that should not be taken for
 granted.
    So please remember, no matter what your day may be like today, it is a precious gift from God, and He desires that we be thankful to Him in all things. And if we just take another look at the day, and maybe from a different angle than that of most the world, you will find you have much to be thankful for and you truly have been blessed by the Lord, in that He has given you another day to rejoice in Him.     
         This message has been brought to you From the Heart of Tim Hall, Senior Pastor, Gully Springs Baptist Church, and author of “Church Go To Hell! Please?” P.O. Box 745, 2824 Highway 90 West Bonifay, Florida 32425. Located;,three miles west of the light at Highway 79, 850-547-3920, E-mail: timhall_2000@yahoo.com  ”