Read: Psalm 139
In your book were written . . . the days that were formed for me. (v. 16)
Life expectancy in the United States is around 75 years. That’s 27,375 days. What day are you on? Only God knows how many you have. He knew each of your days before even one day came to be. He even formed each one for you (v. 16). He is present with you each day, whether you know it or not (v. 7). Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon observes, “Even in the deepest past, God knows the future.” He knows because each day yet to come he also formed for you.
David’s prayer in Psalm 139 brings to mind a friend I made while serving on a Christian college board. He led the development efforts and began each meeting with a prayer: “Thank you, Lord, for the gift of this day.” The words came out thoughtful and slow. He knew and lived each day as if it were a precious gift. He had endured organ transplant surgery and later lived with the daily realities of Parkinson’s disease. I never heard a complaint. I always heard thanksgiving for life and desire to live in the mission of Jesus.
What does this day hold for you? Is there anticipation of joy or the dread of fear and anxiety? Is there pain to endure or a change to embrace? How might you enter this day by giving thanks to God for what it is: a precious gift from God, formed just for you. You won’t be alone. He’ll be beside you, before you, above you, and beneath you.
As you pray, thank God for the gift of this day.
About the Author
Rev. Jon Opgenorth serves as president of Words of Hope. Previously, he served for 18 years as senior pastor at Trinity Reformed Church in Orange City, Iowa. In preparation for ministry, he received a BA in Religion from Northwestern College, and an MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary.
