“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” — Philippians 4:4

Hope Like a Sunrise

Numerous times I have watched a baseball game with the St. Louis Cardinals ahead by several runs. Then the other team will load the bases in a late inning and I will moan, “It’s over! They’re going to blow this lead!”

My wife, Carolyn, who is my counterpart in so many ways, will often say sweetly, “Now Stanley, you have to be positive.” This will soothe me briefly, until I respond, “OK, OK. I’m positive they’re going to blow this lead!” I don’t think that’s what she had in mind.

Recently while reading Psalm 65, I came to verse 8 (NKJV), which says at the end, “…You make the outgoings of the morning and evening rejoice.”

I pondered this and checked a concordance and commentary to get their take on it. “Outgoings of the morning and evening” apparently refers to sunrise and sunset. God makes both rejoice.

How often do you rejoice? I don’t very often, so that part was convicting. But the other part implies it’s possible to rejoice in the morning, optimistic of what the day will bring and rejoice in the evening, thankful for what the day has brought.

I’m not there yet. Maybe you’re not either. The cool thing is, there’s still time to get there. May the Spirit fill us each day to rejoice in the morning and in the evening (and in the late innings of ball games).