1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're glad to 2 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:16,639 Speaker 1: have you listening with us. Today's topic is about what 3 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 1: to do when you're having one of those days. We'll 4 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:23,280 Speaker 1: return with the devotional after a brief message from our 5 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:39,560 Speaker 1: sponsors when it's one of those days. Written and read 6 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: by Cindy mcmanumon this is the day the Lord has made, 7 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: Let us rejoice and be gladd in it, Psalm one 8 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: hundred and eighteen, verse twenty four, English Standard version. Do 9 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 1: you know what it's like to have one of those 10 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 1: days you wish you could do over? My friend Holly 11 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: recalls that her day like that started at fourth thirty 12 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: am when she opened the door of her house to 13 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,679 Speaker 1: pick up the newspaper, which was usually on her welcome 14 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:08,800 Speaker 1: Matt waiting for her. But as she opened the door, 15 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: and before she even had a chance to look down 16 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 1: on her welcome Matt thunk, the newspaper delivery person unknowingly 17 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 1: chucked that newspaper through the early morning, still dark air, 18 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: and it pelted her right in the chest. She never 19 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: even saw it coming. Stumbling over a bit, she regained 20 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 1: her composer and just stood there nice aim. She thought 21 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 1: sarcastically and turned around and closed the door. The rest 22 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: of the day didn't get much better, one disappointing situation 23 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:39,479 Speaker 1: after another, until pretty soon she wished she hadn't even 24 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: gotten out of bed that morning. Fortunately for Holly, she 25 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 1: kept her sense of humor and laughed about it with 26 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: several women in her exercise class at the end of 27 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: the day. We all have days when we get pelted 28 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: with something right in the chest, a stinging insult, an 29 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: action by a coworker or a friend that leaves us shocked, 30 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 1: some news that causes us to stumble or double over. 31 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: Sometimes it's from someone unknowingly chucking something through the air 32 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 1: that happens to hit us, and other times it's a 33 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: direct hit from someone with pretty good aim. Whether it's 34 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: one incident after another that seems to be giving you 35 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 1: a bad day or circumstances in which you are the 36 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: one who is clearly messing up, there is a way 37 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:26,799 Speaker 1: to get through it. God's word gives us simple instructions 38 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 1: on how to handle the bad days. This is the 39 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 1: day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be 40 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: glad in it, the Psalmist said, But how can we 41 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:40,079 Speaker 1: rejoice that word creates a picture in my mind of 42 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,079 Speaker 1: a person jumping up in the air and shouting for joy, 43 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: or to do that when we're having one of those days. Evidently, so, 44 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 1: it's interesting that God's word doesn't say, this is the 45 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: day the Lord accidentally lets slip through the heavens, let 46 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 1: us tolerate it and be done with it. Rather, god 47 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 1: word specifically states that this day, even the one in 48 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 1: which you get plunked right in the chest, is a 49 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: day that He has made, and therefore it is one 50 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 1: worth rejoicing. In intersecting faith in life, I suppose God 51 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 1: wants us to realize that even when uncomfortable or hurtful 52 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: or downright disastrous things happen, it is still a day 53 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 1: in which we live, breathe, and exist. It is still 54 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 1: a day in which we can choose to see the 55 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: brighter side of things and acknowledge that He's in control. 56 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: It's still a day in which we can, like Holly, 57 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: keep a sense of humor and laugh at the day's events. 58 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: By sundown. There is still something in this day worth 59 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: rejoicing about, because it is a day given to us 60 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: by the maker of heaven and earth. Can you, my friend, 61 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: find something in this day worth rejoicing about. If not, 62 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: then simply rejoice. This is the day the Lord has 63 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 1: made for you to live it with him and become 64 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: the kind of person he desires you to be. Rejoice 65 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 1: in it, my friend, and see if it doesn't change 66 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: your outlook and your day. Thank you Lord for this day, 67 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 1: regardless of what it brings or has already brought my way. 68 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: Today is a day that I live and breathe and exist. 69 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 1: May I do so with a song in my heart, 70 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:27,600 Speaker 1: simply because you have given me life. And may you 71 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: be pleased by my attitude, my gratitude and my praise. 72 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: Thank you that you can grow me, mature me, sharpen me, 73 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:41,039 Speaker 1: and shape me through whatever comes my way. I surrender 74 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,039 Speaker 1: it all to you, Lord Jesus, in your name, I 75 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:49,279 Speaker 1: pray this amen. For further readings, see First Thessalonians five 76 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 1: verses sixteen through eighteen. For daily perspective and reasons to praise, 77 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: see my book The New Loneliness Devotional, Fifty Days to 78 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 1: a close Connection with God. 79 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 2: The Crosswalk Devotional is a production of Life Audio and 80 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:13,559 Speaker 2: Salem Media. If you liked what you heard today, please 81 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 2: take a second to rate and review this podcast. In 82 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 2: your favorite podcast app, so that more listeners like you 83 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:24,600 Speaker 2: can find the show. For more faith filled, inspirational podcasts, 84 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 2: visit us at lifeaudio dot com.