How Can We Rejoice and Be Glad in 'This Day'?

A popular child’s song from years past told us, “This is the day, this is the day, that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made. We will rejoice, we will rejoice and be glad in it.” It is based directly on Psalm 118:24. I don’t know if it’s still used much in Christian settings, but I always loved the happy, lilting tune.

 

As I mentioned in my last post, I like to recite this verse silently when I awaken each morning: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” But let’s be honest: Aren’t there days when we wonder, ‘How can I rejoice and be glad in this day’?

 

Sept. 11, 2001 was one of those days, when four commercial airliners were hijacked by terrorists. Two were flown into New York City’s World Trade Center towers, a third one into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and the fourth into a rural field in Pennsylvania, redirected by courageous passengers before it reached its intended target. 

Charlie Kirk, Wikipedia photo

Wednesday was another of those days, when Charlie Kirk, a popular Conservative activist and unapologetic follower and witness for Jesus Christ, was assassinated, apparently by a trained marksman or sniper.

I never had the privilege of meeting Mr. Kirk (everyone knew him as Charlie) but had viewed many of his videos on social media. I have no way of knowing whether his public persona aligned with his life off the stage, but people interviewed who were close to him confirmed he was the real deal, a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of person.

 

He spoke about crucial topics of today, including marriage and family, politics, sexual lifestyles, gender ideology, abortion, the poor, and most important of all, the life-changing, transforming power of Jesus Christ. I admired his intellect and rhetorical skills. He had a keen mind in being able to debate and disarm opposing arguments with logic rather than emotion, and usually with a smile, grace and compassion.

 

At only 31 years old, a husband and father of two young children, Charlie seemed to have a bright future and potential to become an even more powerful changemaker in society than he already was. So, how can we ‘rejoice and be glad’ in a day when he became the victim of such a heinous act?

 

While we mourn Charlie’s all-too-soon passing and grieve for his family, I believe there are many reasons we can indeed ‘rejoice and be glad’ despite such tragedy. Let me cite some of them:

 

He is now with the Lord. Every time he spoke, Charlie was intentional in communicating his faith in Jesus Christ and why he believed, as well as the importance for everyone to seriously consider the Gospel message. In 1 John 5:11-13 we read, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” This passage says that if we have trusted in Christ, we can know for certain that we have eternal life. Charlie knew this.

 

His message will continue. When Charlie spoke about his faith, as well as issues being discussed, he often referred to the Scriptures as his ultimate source of Truth. Over the years he addressed countless thousands of people, many of them college-aged and young adults. In addition, his videos were viewed – and will continue being viewed – by millions, thanks to the Internet and social media. Whether Charlie thought of it this way or not, he was planting seeds that will bear fruit for eternity. As Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away” (Mark 13:31). And Hebrews 4:12 declares, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

 

God will raise up others in his place. Charlie wasn’t a lone ranger. His organization, Turning Point USA, has more than 850 campus chapters, and surely God will raise up others to fill the void he left behind. In 2 Kings 2:9 we read the account of the prophet Elijah ‘passing his mantle’ to his protégé, Elisha. Before being taken up to heaven by God, Elijah asked, “‘Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?’ ‘Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,’ Elisha replied.” Perhaps even now someone is praying, asking the Lord for a “double portion” of what God had given Charlie.

 

The Lord will carry his family through this difficult time. It is reported that ahead of Charlie’s passing, his wife, Erika, shared a favorite Bible verse on social media: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). The coming days will be unimaginably hard for the Kirk family, but they will find refuge and strength in the Lord to sustain them. This is an assurance we all have if we have entrusted our lives to Christ, being reborn as children of God.

 

God will turn this tragedy into His good. A verse we commonly turn to in times of adversity is Romans 8:28, which says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” There’s danger of overusing it, turning it into a platitude, but it’s true, nonetheless. I’ve experienced it many times myself, and hopefully you have as well.

 

The Bible gives many examples of how the Lord fulfilled this promise, including the story of Joseph, sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, then falsely accused and imprisoned in Egypt. Yet God sovereignly enabled Joseph to rise to second in power only to Pharaoh and used by the Lord to save the people of Israel in the midst of a great famine. After encountering his betraying brothers, Joseph stated, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this…” (Genesis 50:20).

What good God intends to accomplish through this evil, murderous act against Charlie Kirk we can’t know right now. But we can firmly believe He will use it in His time. And knowing that even Sept. 10, 2025 – as well as Sept. 11, 2001 – were days the Lord made, we can rejoice in them.

Finding Security in an Insecure World

“Someone call Security!” Have you ever wanted to shout that? Even when you weren’t in a public place, like a store or a parking lot?

If there’s anything these days where the demand far exceeds the supply, it’s security. If Walmart or Target created a “Security” aisle and products displayed could guarantee the desired results, their stock values would soar.

From the moment we’re born to the time we die, security continues to be an important concern. Infants instinctively seek out Mommy. Toddlers rush to a parent’s side when they’re separated at the grocery store. Many tots wouldn’t consider going to bed without a favorite “blankie” or stuffed animal to make them feel safe.

Following the events of 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security was created to join other law enforcement agencies in safeguarding against terrorism. Shopping malls, schools, businesses, even churches now employ security guards. The ongoing debate over gun control legislation involves not only curbing violence but also citizens wanting guns for their own security.

This chart from simplypsychology.org shows
Abraham Maslow found security a vital need.

But security fears are hardly new. More than 70 years ago, psychologist Abraham Maslow recognized security as a foundational part of his “hierarchy of needs” pyramid. In his 1943 paper, “A Theory of Human Motivation,” Maslow ranked security and safety second in importance only to physiological needs like food, clothing and shelter. Security overshadowed other human needs such as love and belonging, self-esteem and respect, and self-actualization.

Social Security was created in 1935 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and today millions of Americans rely on it for their retirement years. Many of us maintain insurance policies to provide security for our homes, cars, loved ones when we die, and protection against disability. We can even purchase identity protection plans. Home security systems, designed to safeguard personal possessions and thwart would-be intruders, have turned into a multi-billion dollar industry.

Perhaps a perceived lack of security has even contributed to the decline of marriage. Dr. Willard Harley Jr., alluded to this in his best-selling book, His Needs, Her Needs: Building an Affair-Proof Marriage.

In counseling thousands of couples, Harley discovered the basic needs for men and women in marriage are very different. Three of the essential needs for most women, he stated, are related to security – honesty and openness; financial support, and family commitment. Why get married – or remain married – some women might reason, if men won’t provide the security they need?

Security also factors strongly in spiritual belief systems. We long to know that God’s not fickle or capricious, that our relationship with Him isn’t like pulling flower petals, “He loves me…He loves me not…He loves me…He loves me not….”

One of the basic tenets of evangelical faith is the “security of the believer,” the idea that we should be able to know that we know our relationship with God is secure, and need not harbor doubts about where we will be spending eternity. And the Scriptures offer many passages giving that assurance.

Security with God is a recurring theme in the Psalms, describing Him in terms such as a “shelter” and “my refuge and my fortress” (Psalm 91:1-2), and “a strong tower against the foe” (Psalm 61:3). King David calls God “my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior” (2 Samuel 22:3).

But what does God say? In the midst of a turbulent, chaotic, often disheartening world, what assurances does He provide that in Him we are indeed secure? Actually, the Lord has much to say. Here’s just a sampling:

In the Old Testament we read, “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8). Letting us know He hasn’t changed His mind over time, that assurance is repeated in Hebrews 13:5, when He says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Can any circumstance sever followers of Jesus from an eternal relationship with Him? The Bible says no. Jesus told His disciples, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29).

And lest there be any doubt, near the end of the Old Testament, the apostle John presented this promise: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).

Do we live in an insecure world? Yes. Do we have loved ones and friends who sometimes fail to offer the security we need? Yes. Does it often seem calamity is lurking just around the corner? Again, yes.

But in the midst of turmoil, surrounded by many things that can stir great fear and anxiety in our hearts, we can trust in the security only God can give. “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread” (Psalm 37:25).