Psalm 118

The Day the Lord has made! There was a day before Christ's death and a day after. Before His death, we were separated from God because we were dead. After his death, we received our life again.

Unlike God who is spirit, unlike the animals who are physical, Adam and Eve were created to be spirit and flesh. We were created to have dominion over sickness, the animals, the weather, time, space. We were created to be an entirely strange species that could be both spirit and flesh. But then we lost that because we distrusted God's love for us. We wanted to understand all the evils in the world although evil had never touched us. Instead of seeking to simply accept God saying, "This is good, this is good, this is good." We wanted to be as God and also know what was evil -- and how to define evil and measure it. We failed miserably. The first thing Adam and Eve did when they discovered evil was learn to blame someone else.

But then God prepared a day! As Milton said, "Oh happy fault that showed so great and good a God!" God showed us His love for us by preparing a sacrifice. All the folklores and cultures speak of  the loss of the original permanent home. All of them speak of a great loss. But they also speak of a great day when all that man lost will be returned to him. They speak of a great book that will show us the Creator's love, or a great sacrifice which will return the world to its proper order, or of a great day.

Jesus, YOU are the DAY which the Lord made! I will rejoice and be glad in YOU.

Past that sabbath, that seventh day, we enter the 8th day and our wonderful NEW DAY. We enter the years of jubilee. Lord, help your people show the world your love...and let your spirit in us prove that we have been redeemed from the world, that the world itself wants to glorify the Son of God, the firstborn of the redeemed sons of God.

Psalm 118 (King James Version)

Psalm 118

1O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.
2Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
3Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
4Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
5I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place.
6The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
7The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.
8It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
9It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
10All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them.
11They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
12They compassed me about like bees: they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
13Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me.
14The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
15The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
16The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
17I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
18The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.
19Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
20This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.
21I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
22The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
23This is the LORD's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
24This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
26Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.
27God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
28Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
29O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

It so happens that verse 8 marks the exact center of the Christian Bible. When confronted with the idea of trusting God, of really deciding that He has the answers for your life, we are apt to squirm a bit.  In this world, self-reliance is the mark of the mature person. Dependency is for the weak.  Well, let's be weak. Where we are weak, He is strong.