O sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
 Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day. (Psalm 96:1-2)

There’s nothing like waking up Sunday morning with a bad winter’s cold to flatten any sense of enthusiasm. Enthusiasm for getting out of bed, walking the dog, writing, going to church, teaching my adult-ed class; you name it, I really didn’t want to do it.

At the same time, there’s nothing like going to church to re-ignite my enthusiasm for, well, going to church, plus every other ingredient that makes up the day.

It was certainly like that for me this week. Just being around the positive-spirited, enthusiastic, open-hearted, faithful Jesus-followers of WFPC lifted me – it always does.

Honor and majesty are before God;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. (v 6)

MONDAY MONDAY: It’s a good reminder for Monday morning. I still have that bad winter’s cold, but the same life-giving and life-sustaining power that animated me yesterday is available today. The key ingredient is belief. Sunday morning I chose to put myself in the place where grace, mercy, peace, and joy were rampant; Jesus is just as real today.

I’m still not happy about the cold; that would be absurd! But I am happy about the new life that infuses not only our church, but also my every day.

And I can (I choose to) stand in solidarity with the psalmist who wrote:

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
     let the field exult, and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy… ( v 11-12)

I’ve been quoting from Psalm 96. Take a moment to read every verse. It’s all about the choice to stand in belief; and believing is all about our choice to stand in God’s light.

– DEREK