Let Us Rejoice

Ian Trigg, Transitional Pastor

Dear RockPointe Family,

As I’m writing this note, three of my four grandchildren just arrived at my home. They are all mostly lovely and delightful … until they are not! (But that’s another devotional thought!) The noise volume elevates exponentially when they arrive. Our mini-golden Doodle, Murphy, loses her tiny little mind when they come. Joyce turns into Nana-extraordinaire and great food is made and great crafts are created and great games are played. And then later in the afternoon, they will be retrieved by their loving parents. As quietness and peace once again reigns in our home, Joyce and I will smile a weary smile and we will remember again that there is a reason why God most often gives children to young people!

Life is filled with a remarkable cross-section of moments. Some are amazing and filled with joy

and gratitude. Some are difficult and even overwhelming. And many, likely most, are more

mundane than amazing. This summer will quite likely hold a little of each category. How do we

make the most of these opportunities? I’m convinced that all of life is a classroom and that

God desires to speak to us in the midst of every day. Will we make space and place to listen

and reflect and respond to His promptings?

The reality that we all encounter is that there are a finite numbers of days in our lives. Not to

be morbid or negative, I want us to reflect on the potential that each of these days hold. Psalm

118 reminds us that God is good and that His love endures forever. It also challenges us with

the reality that God is always with us and we have nothing to fear. It ends with a verse that

became one of the first choruses many of us learned in life:

“This is the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

I’m convinced that we best find joy when we are open to God’s whispers and promptings …

when respond to life as Samuel did: “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” Almost every

page of Bible is filled with encounters of people meeting God and God speaking into their

stories. He is a speaking God! It begs the question: “Are we a listening people?”

This summer, when life does slow for most of us, will we embrace the invitation to create space

for God to speak? Will we invite Him to reveal to us His remarkable presence and

consequential purposes for our days? Will we choose to acknowledge that each day is a gift to

be treasured and explored? Will we choose to rejoice … to be grateful … to live expectantly?

I hear voices calling for me. Is it one of the little ones or is my wife seeking an intervention?

The day will be loud. It will trend towards chaos. It will require multiple skills: Judging,

refereeing, rule enforcing, treat dispensing. But it will be awesome … because the Lord has

given me this day.

Whatever your day holds … Let us rejoice in it!

Ian Trigg