I was sitting in the sunroom. It was 6 o’clock in the morning. I know it was 6 o’clock because the clock had chimed the hour and I’d gotten out of bed at 5:40 a.m. Morning light had not yet broken. The window was open and it was still and silent outside.

As light broke I heard a birdsong. It’s usually a lone cardinal that I hear but on this morning it was a Carolina wren. As I sat there I thought to myself how good it is to be alive. I thanked God for his watch care through the night and for the gift of yet another day. It seems that the older I get the more precious each day becomes to me.

A verse from the Psalms comes to mind in this regard. As I mentioned in an earlier article (August 20, 2015) this was a favorite verse of the late Mary Coonfield and she recited it often. It reads, “This is the day which the LORD hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24, KJV). The verse is rhythmical and it has been set to music. We are currently singing it at our church as the boys and girls gather to go to children’s worship.

While the verse does not have this meaning in the context of the Psalm, it is nevertheless a good thought with which to begin each new day. It can help set a positive tone for the day. “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

This little poem is found in A Pocket Prayer Book. It is by Ralph Spaulding Cushman and is entitled, Thank God I’m Alive.

Thank God I’m alive!

That the skies are blue,

That a new day dawns

For me and you.

The sunlight glistens

On field and on tree,

And the house wren sings

To his mate and to me,

The whole world glows

With a heavenly glee.

***

I know there are heartaches,

A world full of strife,

But thank you God, O thank God,

Thank God just for life!

“This is the day which the LORD hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it”