Three cheers

Be glad, earth and sky!
   Roar, sea, and every creature in you;
rejoice, land, and everything in you!
The trees in the forest will shout for joy
when the LORD comes to rule the earth.
He will rule the peoples of the world
with justice and fairness. (verses 11-13)

Read Psalm 96

We all have special occasions in our life that we recall with a great deal of joy. I can remember when our first child was born. All the waiting was over. What an exciting moment it was when I held that little girl in my arms for the first time. I could hardly believe it. That joy was repeated three more times, and each time was as exciting as the first.

Every Sunday Christians meet together to be glad and to rejoice. We worship the Lord and celebrate the love and care he has shown us. We receive the forgiveness of our sins and are strengthened for the coming week as we hear God’s word and receive Jesus’ body and blood in the sacrament.

We are glad that God is a part of our lives and that he has shown himself to us as all-powerful, yet loving and forgiving. We are glad that he is just a prayer away, ready to help us in our time of need.

Three cheers to our God. Three cheers to Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Lord, I am so glad that you have made me one of your children. Thank you for all you do for me every day of my life. Amen.

by Vincent Gerhardy, in ‘Living Water for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2001)

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