Daily Devotion - Friday, June 19

Listening and Living

“Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth;
sing the glory of God’s name, give glorious praise to the Lord.”
--From the hymns of the Hebrew people, Psalm 66

Listening to the stories of others and reading the insights that others have gained from their lives can be very inspiring. The resilience of people is probably a reason behind the verse of Scripture for today. Here is a snippet from the life of Viktor Frankl, imprisoned in a concentration camp during World War II.

One winter morning the prisoners were marching despite the horrible conditions. They were cold, weak and depressed. The man beside Frankl said, “If only our wives could see us now.” Frankl began to imagine his wife who happened to be imprisoned in another concentration camp. He pictured her smiling. He felt her encouraging him to go on. He experienced in a deeper way than ever her love for him and his for her. Later Frankl observed that he survived those horrible conditions because of his hope they’d be reunited. His wife actually died in the concentration camp and they were never united. One of his valuable insights is this statement:

“To live is to suffer. To survive is to find meaning in the suffering.”

When something is really important to you, it gives you a reason to make joyful noises to God and it gives your life meaning. As we approach the coming weekend, look for the meaning in each of your experiences. You may find yourself making a joyful noise to the Lord.

--Ben Keckler
06.19.09