THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE

Songs of the South is a 1946 American live-action/animated musical film based on the Uncle Remus stories. This little theme song from the deep south is no doubt just as deep in our memories. 

                 

ZIP-A-DEE-DOO-DAH - Ray Gilbert

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah, Zip-A-Dee-A 

My oh my what a wonderful day
Plenty of sunshine heading my way
Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah, Zip-A-Dee-A
Mister bluebird on my shoulder
It's the truth, it's actual, everything is satisfactual
Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah, Zip-A-Dee-A
Wonderful feeling, wonderful day! 

The message is as clear as day, so to speak: when plenty of sunshine is heading your way, you can almost bet it's going to be a wonderful day. So does that mean a bad day can be expected when bad weather comes along? 

Have you ever woken up to a seemingly dismal day? The clouds are dark and feel too heavy. The weather is either too hot, too cold or too something. It's easy to complain, find fault, become depressed.  Did you know that by falling for this lie, you are forgetting what God said about the new day He just made?

In Psalm 118:24 we read, THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE. LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT

On the west coast of California, rain has been scarce. The news continues to stir up worry that a serious drought is inevitable.  At the same time, the east coast is experiencing the fiercest, coldest blizzard in history. 

In Matthew 14:22-33 the Bible shares a dismal weather report. "Disciples Experience Life-threatening Weather Conditions on the Sea of Galilee ... and it could very well be the worst storm in history!"

Panic stricken, the disciples think they see a ghost walking on the water towards them. To their relief, it isn't the grim reaper; it is Jesus, their Lord and Savior! He tells them, "Be of good cheer; it is I; do not be afraid! When Jesus is on the scene, we are not only safe, but because He is here, we can rejoice and be glad in the worst of days. 

The problem with the weather report is that an even greater storm begins brewing within us. We become consumed with what's wrong with the day rather than what's right with it. We miss the silver lining that is hidden in those threatening clouds. According to the weather report, there should be non-stop inches of rain at this time of year. Instead, we have gorgeous weather. However, no one can enjoy it because it's not suppose to be gorgeous; it's supposed to be miserable. Oh the blessed gladness we miss when we forget to look through God's holy window  

Look, even the wind and the waves are calm in the presence of the Lord!

So how can we be glad and rejoice in all kinds of weather?

The next time you are engaged in a conversation with your neighbor and they begin to complain about the weather, tell them the truth. Whatever is wrong with the day will flee away, and what is right about it will be yours to experience the whole day long.

THE DAY ISN'T PERFECT BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER; THE WEATHER IS PERFECT BECAUSE OF THE DAY!

Let's not be moved by the worldly weather report. There is another report on the heavenly horizon that overcomes the world:

THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE. LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT. Psalm 118:24

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8

The Word of God still speaks to us today!

BE OF GOOD CHEER 

I AM HERE

DO NOT BE AFRAID

In other words, enjoy your day! 

FIT US FOR HEAVEN

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)

I have been humming the last verse of the Christmas song, AWAY IN THE MANGER for about a week. 

It goes like this: 

Be near me Lord Jesus I ask you to stay

Close by me forever and love me I pray

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care

And fit us for heaven to live with thee there. 

(Lyrics: Anonymous; Music: James R Murray 1841)  

The emphasis of my humming has been on the words, AND FIT US FOR HEAVEN. That little song and I have been carried away to a prayerful place -- a sweet and heavenly knowing that God is doing just that, fitting us for heaven.

. 

What does FIT US mean?

While still pondering, I am transported to my father's tailor shop where I am seated with needle, thread and thimble. I am inundated with the ways of the tailor shop because I have been learning from him for an entire summer. The classical station is playing something soothing on the shop radio. The shop smells like a steam presser on its highest setting; like fabric is burning. It smells of three-and-one oil and mothballs. The front door is made of heavy glass. A bell hangs on the door knob. Each morning at 9 AM sharp dad unlocks the door that leads to a busy sidewalk. Father stands to greet his customers each time the bell jingles.   

                              

"How can I help you today," asks Father?

 "I'm here for my fitting," replies the customer

This means a trip to the dressing room, a small closet-like enclosure. The customer finds a plain wooden chair, a full length mirror, a clothes hook and a coat hanger. With the slide of a curtain, he or she is ready to change clothes for the fitting. The curtain swishes opens and out comes the customer. 

                                 

Next, he stands on a platform in front of a three-way mirror. With a yellow measuring tape draped around his neck, a piece of white chalk in his hand, and several straight pins in his mouth, my dad commences to nip and tuck, mark and pin until he is satisfied with the fitting. Stitch by stitch, my dad and I tear that suit apart, cutting away along the lines, the markings, and the pins. He creates a custom pattern, lays out the material in pieces, and sews it back together again. After dry cleaning and pressing, the old garment looks new and fits just right. When the particular item is ready,  my father or I call the customer to tell them, "It is finished." 

                            

While we walk this pilgrim way, we are being fitted for heaven. We are measured, marked, nipped here, tucked there and sometimes ripped apart. God has a customized pattern unique to our shape and size, which is created in His image and likeness. He lays us on his pattern, cuts, sews, dry cleans and presses us into a perfect fit. Since people -- not clothing -- are the garments in question, being fitted over a lifetime is an uncomfortable process. But we can be sure that when the tailor of heaven is finished with us, we will be fashioned for a comfortable, heavenly fit. We will be fit for heaven to live with Him there. 

This was made possible on the cross where Jesus declared, "IT IS FINISHED." 

Fine linen, bright and clean was given to her to wear (Revelation 19:8)

"Gospel ministers must be fit for the Master's use, and prepared to every good work if they would be vessels unto honor." - Nathaniel Appleton at the ordination of John Sargent, missionary to the Indians of Houssatonnoc, who manifested their desire to receive the Gospel - 1735

TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER!

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. (Hebrews 13:7)

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear. (1 Peter 3:15)

                       

While driving home the other day I noticed a huge sign on the side of an industrial building. It read, "TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER." In burning bush fashion, I had to take a closer look as I sensed there was a deeper layer to uncover in those words.   

I thought about the Samaritan woman and her encounter with Jesus at the well. After testifying of her experience to the people of Samaria, she concluded by urging them,"Come see the man who changed my life!"or "Come with me and I'll take you to my leader." But Jesus went with her instead, healing everyone with all manner of diseases. Remember the living water he gave her? She became a spring of water after being in the presence of her leader. She was filled to overflowing and Samaria couldn't help but take notice!

Just then an urgency rose up from within my spirit: the world is crying out, "Take ME to YOUR leader!"

QUESTION: How, Lord? You placed me in this lost and dying world but how do I take that world to you? 

ANSWER: You don't take them to me. You take me to them!

So where exactly is my leader?

The Bible clearly tells us:

Christ is in you, the hope of glory! (Colossians 1:27)  

As Jesus is, so are we in the world. (1 John 4:17)  

His name shall be called Emmanuel, Meaning God is with us. (Matthew 1:23)

When Peter and John met the lame man on the way to the temple, their first words to him were, 

"LOOK ON US!"

Being ready to give an answer to those who ask, means you are ready to say, "LOOK ON US!" 

"LOOK ON US" brought their leader to the lame man. 

God wasn't somewhere else. He was with them.

And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Mark 16:20

Take your leader with you and you will give the world a reason to ask of the hope within you.

To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  Romans 8:6

In Genesis 26 (NLT) we read an interesting transition in Isaac as he moves from carnal mindedness (self leadership) to spiritual mindedness (God's leadership.)

A severe famine now struck the land, as had happened before in Abraham’s time. So Isaac moved to Gerar, where Abimelech, king of the Philistines, lived.

The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions.”

So Isaac stayed in Gerar. When the men who lived there asked Isaac about his wife, Rebekah, he said, “She is my sister.” He was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “They will kill me to get her, because she is so beautiful.” But some time later, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out his window and saw Isaac caressing Rebekah. Immediately, Abimelech called for Isaac and exclaimed, “She is obviously your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” “Because I was afraid someone would kill me to get her from me,” Isaac replied. “How could you do this to us?” Abimelech exclaimed. “One of my people might easily have taken your wife and slept with her, and you would have made us guilty of great sin.” Then Abimelech issued a public proclamation: “Anyone who touches this man or his wife will be put to death!”

This is an example of carnal mindedness ... fearing your enemy more than fearing the Lord, leading to death. 

To succeed in fearing your enemy is failure to fear God  

When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him.  He became a very rich man, and his wealth continued to grow.  He acquired so many flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and servants that the Philistines became jealous of him. So the Philistines filled up all of Isaac’s wells with dirt. These were the wells that had been dug by the servants of his father, Abraham. Finally, Abimelech ordered Isaac to leave the country. “Go somewhere else,” he said, “for you have become too powerful for us.”

Because Isaac followed with his carnal mind, there was no leader in his life for anyone to desire. It was dirt in his wells. 

Isaac returns to the leader of his father

So Isaac moved away to the Gerar Valley, where he set up their tents and settled down.  He reopened the wells his father had dug, which the Philistines had filled in after Abraham’s death. Isaac also restored the names Abraham had given them.

Isaac’s servants also dug in the Gerar Valley and discovered a well of fresh water.  But then the shepherds from Gerar came and claimed the spring. “This is our water,” they said, and they argued over it with Isaac’s herdsmen. So Isaac named the well Esek (which means “argument”).  Isaac’s men then dug another well, but again there was a dispute over it. So Isaac named it Sitnah (which means “hostility”).  Abandoning that one, Isaac moved on and dug another well. This time there was no dispute over it, so Isaac named the place Rehoboth (which means “open space”), for he said, “At last the Lord has created enough space for us to prosper in this land.”

From there Isaac moved to Beersheba,  where the Lord appeared to him on the night of his arrival. “I am the God of your father, Abraham,” he said. “Do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you. I will multiply your descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will do this because of my promise to Abraham, my servant.” Then Isaac built an altar there and worshiped the Lord. He set up his camp at that place, and his servants dug another well.

One day King Abimelech came from Gerar with his adviser, Ahuzzath, and also Phicol, his army commander.  “Why have you come here?” Isaac asked. “You obviously hate me, since you kicked me off your land.”

Isaac's leader becomes visible

They replied, “We can plainly see that the Lord is with you. So we want to enter into a sworn treaty with you. Let’s make a covenant. Swear that you will not harm us, just as we have never troubled you. We have always treated you well, and we sent you away from us in peace. And now look how the Lord has blessed you!”  So Isaac prepared a covenant feast to celebrate the treaty, and they ate and drank together.  Early the next morning, they each took a solemn oath not to interfere with each other. Then Isaac sent them home again, and they left him in peace.  That very day Isaac’s servants came and told him about a new well they had dug. “We've found water!” they exclaimed.  So Isaac named the well Shibah (which means “oath”). And to this day the town that grew up there is called Beersheba (which means “well of the oath”).

Who is YOUR leader? 

If you fear your enemy he will lead you to death. No one will ask you to take them to that leader. But if you fear the Lord, you will follow Him to life and peace. The lost will see the blessing of the Lord upon your life. They will see hope. They will ask you to take THEM to YOUR leader.       

When Isaac ignored the enemy and trusted God instead, he kept finding water in spite of his enemy's effort to obstruct what was rightfully his. When his enemy saw God's blessing on Isaac's life, they came to him with a truce, a peace treaty and a party! 

While Daniel was in captivity he refused to eat the king's meat or bow to his idols. The king took notice, and Daniel led him to his leader.

While Joseph was in prison Pharaoh took notice, and Joseph led him to his leader.

While Paul and Silas were in prison the guard took notice and exclaimed, "What must I do to be saved? (Acts 16:30) 

The closer you follow, the more visible your leader becomes 

And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast. They paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, "Sir, we want to meet Jesus." (John 12: 20)

Looking steadfastly on Jesus the leader and completer of faith who is now seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. (Hebrews 12:2)

The world is looking for a qualified guide whose hope is evident; has Christ within; is Jesus to the world; whose God is visible. The man who is spiritually minded has both life and peace. 

   

There is a leader the entire world is waiting for. 

His name is Jesus. 

Will you take them to your leader?