Monday 11 March

Psalm 30, Isaiah 65:17-21, John 4:43-54

Prayer mingles with praise

The psalmist looks back and realises that prosperity had made him feel as strong as a mountain, vigorous and victorious. Then sickness shattered his self-confidence and brought him to the edge of his mortality. In a new awareness of God as the source of his health, and praise as the purpose for his existence, he determines that from now on – for ever in fact – he will be thankful. Praise will be his way of life. For the psalmist, wailing has been turned into dancing, the drab garb of mourning exchanged for the multicoloured garments of joy.