Rejoice

This is the day the Lord has made, 

let us rejoice and be glad in it.   

Psalm 118:24 (NRSV)

 

In my experience, the words “the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad” are so uplifting that the phrase has the power to reframe my outlook from glum to joyful. One of the older women in my life—an octogenarian who has a quarter-century on me—and I spent much time together last fall and winter; for the purposes of this entry, I’ll call her Mabel. Now, Mabel loved to sit out on the porch, or even indoors next to a window, and look out over God’s creation. We shared an awe of the natural world, of the fabulous creations before us. Even lying in bed with little visible to her, Mabel would notice and comment on the wind wafting through branches outside the bedroom window. But, Mabel had some aggravating aches and pains, and a bucketful of terrors left over from horrendous experiences decades ago that continued to haunt her. Some days she would be profoundly depressed and would wish aloud for the Lord to take her home. On those days, I tried to draw her attention to some aspect of the natural world—the sky or clouds therein, busy wildlife, greenery—and gently remind her, “This is the day the Lord has made— “ and she would invariably complete the verse for me, “let us rejoice and be glad in it.” After that, she would accept my invitation to enjoy the creation surrounding us.  Now that I do not see her as frequently, I miss sitting with one who was willing to marvel at a leaf with me. I miss sharing the beauty of allowing God to feed my soul through His gifts.