Third Sunday of Easter: Psalm, Psalm 30                         

Psalm 30

It has been a terrible day so far. 8:43 a.m. on a beautiful Spring morning in Michigan. You’d think my mind and heart would be tilted differently. Just being honest, I guess. When I dropped off my dear wife at work this morning she said, “You better knock it off and get out of that funk.” I had it coming and I love her for her good counsel. She was right.

Then I arrived at work and looked at my reading choices for meditations this week. I landed on Psalm 30. So let me quote from the close of this great prayer: “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever” (Psalm 30:11-12).

Now granted, I was grumpy, not mournful. But I found that this psalm brought the right reflection and with it a solution. It’s in that last line above, “ I will give thanks to you forever.” Ouch. And ahhhh. Law and Gospel. Wound and Salve. God is faithful. Upon reading the psalm and asking for help to write this morning, the Lord sent a wonderful Christian sister to my office who helped turn my heart to the things of God in what he has done and continues to do in her family and mine. And for those things and for her I am immensely grateful to God.

It really is about more than just good or bad moods. It’s about a state of heart that is grounded and sustained by God’s good and sufficient Word. Psalm 30 is an important part. Read. Rejoice. And yes, even smile. It is God’s good day.