I’ll Be Glad When…

It’s time to go home.

The weather gets cooler.

I finish grading all these papers.

It’s time for vacation.

The holidays are here.

There are probably dozens of ways I mindlessly finish that thought that begins “I’ll be glad when…” And sadly, while I focus on the future with the attitude of merely enduring the present, I miss out on the peace, contentment and joy God wants me to experience every day. As I recently pondered the fact that I need to change my thinking and thus my words, I began singing the hymn “This is the day” which I learned as a child. The message of the simple song, which is sung in rounds, comes from Psalm 118:24 which invites the congregation to acknowledge God’s goodness, salvation and deliverance. The preceding three verses declare that God Himself has provided salvation through Jesus, “the stone the builders rejected.” (v. 22). The psalmist goes on to proclaim: “the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.” So, no matter the weather or season, my workload or worries, there can be no greater reason than God's great gift of salvation to rejoice in each day He gives me!

“This is the day that the Lord has made.

We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

      – Les Garrett

Sinking Sand

“But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” – Matt. 7:26-27

“…In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil.

 On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand.”

 --“The Solid Rock” by Edward Mote

Thursday morning, as I sat at my dining table, I heard sirens pass by at least four different times. Each time I stopped working and said a prayer. Someone was in need. Somewhere there was a crisis. America seems to have endured too many crises lately. First there was Hurricane Harvey. Then came Hurricane Irma. And now, we struggle with the aftermath of the horrific mass shooting in Las Vegas. In the wake of these crises, I have read and heard stories of kindness and generosity, but sadly I have not heard any real mention of God. I’ve read posts that told of all people were doing to help in Las Vegas and which had captions like, “Las Vegas is strong and powerful.” I am thankful these folks are expressing optimism and resilience. But truthfully, I wish they were expressing humility and sorrow for God is saddened by all of the loss of life and destruction of recent days. He longs for us to turn to Him for comfort and clarity. For strength and sustenance.

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Unfortunately, I think America has become the foolish builder Jesus mentions in Matthew 7:26-27. I think our nation has chosen to build on the sinking sand of our pridefulness and our selfishness. Our self-reliance instead of our dependence on God. Our faith in our good works instead of our faith in the work of the cross. Ultimately, as Jesus says, a house built on this type of foundation cannot withstand the storms which assail it. Eventually, it will fall “with a great crash.”