I really hate that verse. It's part of Psalm 118, verse 24.
The only fight I ever started in my life was because one of my classmates would not stop singing, "This is the day" to me. I do not know whether I have matured enough in the ensuing years to react better if it happened again.
So, when Maeghan posted "This is the day that the Lord has made" I was less than enthused. I read it anyway, because she's always worth the read. Then she followed it with "Psalms 118", so I read that post too. Both were truly delightful, and made a profitable impression on me. But, you know how sometimes things just don't cut all the way through to the heart of the matter?
Sunday morning, things were all kind of balled up inside me, and I was wound tighter than an 8 day watch. It was those awful 10 minutes of church between morning prayer and the start of the service. Those minutes are always hard on a recluse, and in my mood I was not having much success at the whole social thing. So I sat down, and opened Ps 118 again and read it out quiet, if you know what I mean.
By verse 7 it had cut me to the heart, and left "the matter" in the dust. By verse 18, I was a praising mess. By the time verse 24 rolled around, my dislike for it was a thing of history.
"The day the Lord has made" is the day that Christ triumphed, and took our enemies away never to be seen again. David was never saying that God made June 4, 2006, but that God made that day, that Glorious, Holy, Exalted, Perfect, Magnificent day that life was suddenly made worth living. God made the day that the Cornerstone opened the Gates of Righteousness for the one whom the Lord severely chastised!
That is a day in which I will rejoice forever.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.
From the house of the LORD we bless you.
...
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
---
Thank you, MaeghanLily!
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35 comments:
What a great post! But I'm having a hard time getting all contemplative and praise-y when I'm still chortling over that fight! I can just see that!
You stop singing that song!! Stop it!! Aaarrrgghhh!!!
hee hee hee
Too good.
Sure, Blest. Focus on the strengths. ;-)
Let's just say that fighting is not one of my great skills, and he was laughing too hard for it to be very convincing. :-D I threw him over the tables and went right after him, him just "chortling" the whole way. Fortunately, somebody was kind enough to separate us before it became any clearer that I had no idea what to do next.
One of my happier memories from high school. :8)
I think I am seeing a pattern developing. You posted one of those really fired-up "PRAISE GOD" comments on my site yesterday, and now this.
hmmm...Codepoke's having a spiritually happy week!
AWESOME!
Now, let's test this on out:
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
And be gla...
AAAUUUGGGHHHH!!
OOMMMPH!
Wha??
[*sound of DK bouncing off table hitting floor, all the while laughing and still singing*]
I dunno, Codepoke. I think perhaps you've not licked this one yet.
Remember the Bugs Bunny episode when Yosemite Sam has to learn to control his temper? And in order to do it he is constantly pestered by Bugs?
Well, perhaps you could try that. Have someone singing that beloved song over and over and over again until you stop saying,
"Krakkem-schmakkem-frakkem-makkem-ploottinstrakin"!
HEHEHE
CP,
How right you are about that song. I think I want to smack Danny Kaye right now! For me it was "I Will Magnify The Lord (The Lord Liveth)". As a pre-k Sunday School teacher, I had to sing this song every other week. It would not hurt me if I never heard it again.
Back in the day, (about 1800 years ago), a guy named Marcion had a heritical Christian-esque following. Armed with only about 12 new testiment books, and completely rejecting the Old Testiment books, Marcion had a gnostic-based religion, that many Christians got involved with.
His solution was to bring tangibility to his teaching through jingles. He was talented at puting the tenants of his faith into song form. Evidently the tunes were catchy enough and they become ever-popular.
Luther and Wessley learned from this and converted bar-songs into hymns. The songs again described the tennants of our faith.
Still I listen to the Christian radio around here, and they play approximately the same 10 songs every hour ad nauseum. Blech!
The truths of these songs are timeless, the songs that are wrapped around these truth's... not not timeless.
God Bless
Doug
I use to sing Have a Holly Jolly Christmas to my co-workers I'd start up just as I was sure it had left them. Man was I a target. Is in your head now? How about now? Now? Yo Ho the mistletoe kiss her once for me. Now it is isn’t it!
:-} (Danny Kaye mistletoe Oklahoma's State flower)
This is the holly jolly Christmas
That the Lord has made
That the Lord has made
It's the best time of the year.
No, DK, I think I'm gonna make it.
DugALug,
Was that Marcion? I always thought it was Arian.
You know how I feel about writing songs. Bring 'em on!
CP,
It may have been Arian too, but it was Marcion for sure. The biggest principal Marcion was for was Modalism: it was the pre trinity idea that God turned into Jesus, which turned into the Holy Spirit. He had over 40 different jingles on this one idea.
Marcion was the reason Constantine insisted on the fully God/Fully Man/ Trinity concepts in the Apostle's creed.
God Bless
Doug
The song that did it for me was "Sanctuary." I don't know if that became as popular where you are as it is where I am from. But man! If I hafta lead that song again, I just might go...go...Well I just might go CODEPOKE!!! on ya'.
Millie,
Mistletoe, eh?
Jes' you make sure you all be a-greetin' one another with a HOLY kiss, now, eh?
And let me also add that Holly Jolly Christmas is one of my all time favorites. If for no other reason than for its "sing-ability."
Dugalug and CP,
Thanks for the history lesson. I love it when I intentionally learn stuff.
I do so love the song have a Holy Jolly Christmas. I can’t under why they didn’t love it when I sang it for them. {I could scare the fur off a cat the way I sing. It is hard to get out of your head.}
Danny Kaye,
As for the mistletoe and the kisses a lady never tells. (But Rick, thank you sir. :-] You were the best fill in supervisor ever. )
Codepoke,
What's the next line?
Yo ho the angels know
Kiss her once Mary?
Mary may not have been without sin but I am still not singing about stealing a kiss from her.
Uh-uh. Can't go there. :-)
Hah hah ya’ made me laugh and how I needed that. The Holy kiss CP.
Not the Rick caught Milly under the mistletoe. Oh wow! Kiss.
My God is an Awesome God it the one that drives me completely nuts.
I feel like I should wear a white robe and rock back and forth while seated indian style with a shaved head and no shoes when it is playing. There is something about the beat that says Ghana to me.
AND it is quite possibly the most overplayed praise song in the universe. There is even an informercial where it plays ad naseum. Have you seen it?
I have never however, resorted to violence over it. (snicker)
Okay, one more. How about this one?
He has made me glad (clap, clap unless you are a true COCer then you omit claps no matter how bad you wanna huh, Milly?)
he has made me glad....
I add my own lyrics like
He had made me glad this song is OOOO-OOO-VVVVEEERRR
By the way, this was a great post. But I wonder, if when you self-proclaimed recluse are there "all balled-up" would you hate it if someone like me (self-proclaimed extrovert) tried to engage you in conversation?
I always look for new peeps to talk to at church and sometimes when I see people reading or off to themselves I go up to them and start chit-chatting. I never can gauge if they perceive it to be annoying or not. It just seems like "church" (the building) is not a place to be alone???
You are most welcome, codepoke :)
The song that really really doesn't do it for me is "Give thanks with a grateful heart". At one time, it was soooo popular in my church and I am soooo glad it's over, though once in a while, our song leaders still manage to dig it out.
I am quite ok with the "This is the day" song but I'd very much prefer the other 2 versions:
1. This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it ... (Chorus:) Rejoice in the Lord ...
2. (The wedding one) This is the day that the Lord has made, and I'm so glad he made you ...
unless you are a true COCer then you omit claps no matter how bad you wanna huh, Milly?
LOL!
would you hate it if someone like me (self-proclaimed extrovert) tried to engage you in conversation?
Great question!
Nope. I love it when people want to talk, and once I get started I am as talkative as anyone.
I talked to a guy the other week whom I had seen but nobody knew anything about - a bigger recluse than me, that is. So far as he is concerned, I am just another one of those outgoing types. Once we figured out that I envied his job, we were good for the rest of the chat. It's just hard to start. It was hard at first to get him to answer back in full sentences, but I think he was glad I imposed.
I don't think I know anyone who really doesn't want to be imposed upon. I love it when the "happy people" shine their lights on me. :-)
I'd very much prefer the other 2 versions:
Hmmm. I have never heard either of these, nor the song that wore you out. Where have I been? ;-)
andrea,
Here's a shocker we clap and some (hold on) raise their hands {{{Gasp}}}} I’m in the sound booth so I actually move to the music. Someone stopped me on the way out one day and said I could see you moving to the beat. I said yep we rock on. We are the frozen chosen no more. Rock on!!!!
"We are the frozen chosen no more."
You know? It must be a southern thing. I have been a member of the Church of Christ since I was baptized 19 years ago. And I have never once seen the reason for the nicknames commonly applied to us.
Frozen chozen
First church of the Frigidaire
...etc.
We sing, we clap, we even dance a bit if the HS is promting.
Nope, when I lead singing on Sundays, I prefer the happy-clappy songs for the simply fact that the pull people out of themselves.
(Sorry, Codepoke. This is the day is not a shunned song. But if you are ever visiting the GSCoC, I will make sure I don't lead that one. ;-)
Codepoke,
Hmmm. I have never heard either of these, nor the song that wore you out. Where have I been? ;-)
The other side of the world literally :) which explains why I don't know all the songs mentioned here either, other than of course "This is the day, this the day, that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made, we will..." ooops... sorry ... ;-)
dannykaye,
We sing, we clap, we even dance a bit if the HS is promting.
That is great. We are not so into dancing. Clapping is ok. Raising of hands for some
Nope, when I lead singing on Sundays, I prefer the happy-clappy songs for the simply fact that the pull people out of themselves.
Just curious, happy clappy songs only?
Milly,
would love to see you rock on! it'd be good to learn some good moves from you ;)
andreia,
I never can gauge if they perceive it to be annoying or not. It just seems like "church" (the building) is not a place to be alone???
I guess you are right. Sometimes some of us are just waiting to have someone to talk to but is just too shy. Not unless they are praying or something, it is good to approach them and start talking.
But I am with CP, it is not easy sometimes.
Maeghan,
"Just curious, happy clappy songs only?
"
Let me clarify:
I said that I prefer to lead happy-clappy songs. But I absolutely LOVE slow, worshipful songs just as much. But let's just say that I don't have the voice, skill, talent, ability...etc, to lead the slower songs. The longer I have to hold a note, the worse it gets. Short, powerful, notes? Them I can handle and even make them sound like some semblance of singing.
But rest assured, when I am in my car on the way to work, I am singing slower songs most of the time. (I figure, if the Lord is offended by it, perhaps He'll...um...tweak it just a wee bit. ;-)
PS(When I say "dancing", I am not talking about anything more than just a bit of toe-tappin', hip-swayin', head-bobbin' kind of stuff. It's not that we are against a bit of all out dancing. It's just that no one does.
Thank you for the clarification Danny Kaye I was about to call the COC cops on you people. If you are holding a baby you can get away with more. Just a little tip.
maeghan,
No one has ever wanted new dance moves from Milly! Since we are sitting it’s arms and upper body. That’s right we are chair dancing. Don’t tell the COC cops. :-}
How many can’t believe Danny hasn’t heard all the COC jokes? I’m stunned dude first Norma Desmond now this. *-*
Milly,
FROZEN CHOSEN!!! I was raised in the COC from day 1 (actually day 11 months and something since I was adopted) and I have NEVER heard that phrase but its cracking me up!
My most recent COC home was a half swayers/clappers/happyfolks and a half somber/nonmoving/frozen chosen folks. It made for a weird sight if you ever stopped and watched.
My favorite memory was of going to my father's (both earthly and heavenly) church in Albuquerque where the average age was 89. They broke out in O Happy Day and I got the giggles because it dragged on and on. I had to remove myself from the assembly.
OOOOOOO
HHHHHHHHHHHaaaaaapppppppppyyyyyy DDDDDDDDDDDaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyy!
I guess they needed Danny Kaye to lead it. Im laughin now as I type it. And to think God thinks its all great including my sad little singing.
Andrea,
I’m laughing sooooooo hhhhhaaaaaarrrrdddd I’m crying. My dad goes to one of those slow song churches. I find myself rocking back and forth when they sing. My sister actually looked at me once and whispered “To slow for ya?” I guess me curled up in a ball and rocking was tip. We jam compared to them.
We sing one song that sounds like Puff The Magic Dragon, Not good to be thinking of a stoner song In church.
I know that the frozen chosen has to be more than an Okie thing. I’m glad I can spread the word to others.
Milly,
It is not an okie thing. The COC church where I went to school (Auburn, AL), was a no-clap, mega-judgemental zone.
Ironically they would go to our rock music outreaches and proseletize patrons. It was like they were saying: 'You like this music? Well come to our church because we ain't got none of this and all of these folks here are going to hell!'
My experiences with the COC's haven't been... well... positive: but you are changing all that Milly! Keep up the good work.
God Bless
Doug
"We will rejoice" is something that is much easier said/sung than done. I hate that joy is often a choice (i.e. we will) that requires faith ... I am such a spiritual wimp.
dugalug,
If your ever in these parts let me know I'll show you a different COC.
Andreia,
Awesome God has to be the most over played song on the radio. To me it isn't even one of Rich Mullin's top ten...and never was. The song right after it on the Winds Of Heaven, Stuff Of Earth album, called If I Stand is so much better. The other Mullins song that gets to much play is Oh God, You are my God. Our local Christian station is trying to ruin one of his best in My Deliverer Is Coming they play it and play it over and over and over again. Great message, lyrics, and music, but come on! There are other songs on the album... sigh... it drives me batty!
Its too bad that the radio squeazes every bit of life out of a song, when there are so many great songs to play. It baffles me.
God Bless
Doug
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