This Is the Day

I suppose today is an ordinary Monday, sandwiched between Super Sunday and Super Duper Tuesday. Of course, if you are a fan of the New York Giants there's nothing ordinary about it. You're telling everyone who will listen about how your team slayed the mighty dragon. For Patriots fans, well, remember, it is just a game.

Either way, "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Ps. 118:24). We can rejoice in each day, not necessarily because of the circumstances around us, but because of who Jesus is and who we are in Christ Jesus.

We can even "consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds" (James 1:2). How?

• "Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance" (James 1:3).
• Because "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28).
• Because "these [trials] have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed" (1 Peter 1:7).

God often shapes and refines us for His purposes and glory through the hardships we face. What better way to examine the depths of our faith in Christ than in the fire?

Last week I was out of commission for a couple of days due to illness. Every one of my family has been sick with something in the past two weeks. We've not been feeling well, we've been couped up together more than usual, our schedules and plans have been changed, put on hold or canceled altogether...and frankly we've been going a little stir crazy.

Not a major fire, but enough to test my faith. There were some things about mine I didn't like. The fruits of the Spirit (especially the patience thing) weren't very pleasing to taste. Counting it all joy wasn't exactly what I had in mind. And how God worked any good from it I can't tell you.

Oh, to have the faith of men like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego! To say to the king while the furnace blazes: "Bring it on! We'll face the fire if that's what you want. There's nothing you or anyone else can do us to us from which the Lord our God will not save us. He will rescue us from your hand without working up a sweat. And we'll tell you this - even if He chooses not to, we're still not going to deny our faith by serving your gods."

So, face the fire with faith, dear friend! Rejoice in this day - whatever may come. God's got in all under control. "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" the king wanted to know. "But, look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods" (Daniel 3).

Christian, you're going to have trouble in the world. Jesus never promised it would be easy. But He promises you peace in Him, saying "Take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Whatever hardships, sufferings, pain or trouble this day brings, rejoice in the Lord! I will say it again: Rejoice! "Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:4-7).