We read in Acts 2:20 that a “great and notable day of the Lord” is coming. That verse is referring to a future day when God will pour out judgment on the earth. Setting aside for now the events of that particular day, it is interesting to note that even to God, there are ordinary days and notable days. Most of our days in any given calendar year are routine and can be described as “just another day.” However, once in a while, there are days that are remarkable. They are important because in many ways, they are the days that define our lives. Consider a few examples.

July 4, 1776, was certainly a notable day—the birth of American independence. Nearly 250 years later, it still means a lot to Americans that we live in a free country, and that over the years people have continued to give their lives to defend our freedom.

October 4, 1957, was another remarkable day when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the world’s first artificial satellite. It initiated the space race, leading to massive and rapid technological innovations, including the internet that we are so dependent on today. If you use a smart phone, its functionality can be traced back to the moon mission and Sputnik.

We can also never forget the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. I was living in Wisconsin at the time and I remember how people came together in the wake of that tragedy. They held hands, wept, and prayed together. It was a remarkable day that affected us all.

The significance of days like these cannot be overstated. The events that took place on them are defining; they helped make the United States the nation that it is today.

Just as we can identify notable days in the history of a nation, there are also notable days for families and individuals. The rest of the world may not notice, but these days are important to us personally. The day we were born is that type of day; none of us would forget our birthday. Mine is on February 23. Though we had no control over our birth, and have no memory of it, it is our starting point and it will always be one of the most notable days of our lives.

As a professor, every year I am reminded of the significance of graduation day—the day we could finally say, “I’m free! Free from Calculus, free from Chemistry!” Then there’s the day we got a special job offer: “Congratulations. This is to inform you that we are offering you the position of . . .” For some of us, the day we became a U.S. citizen is also on the list. My citizenship came on June 6, 2017. And the day we were married—husbands had better not forget that day! I remember my wedding day well. It was December 14, 2000—a remarkable day when my bride arrived at the church spotless and beautiful. By the grace of God, she is still spotless and beautiful and I still cherish her. 

The most notable day

We cannot forget these once-in-a-lifetime days. They are defining moments, sometimes changing the very course of our lives. Yet, of all the special days in life, none can compare to the day of salvation. That is by far our most notable day of all.

For me, it was the spring day of March 21, 1984. At that time, I was on a soccer team in Nigeria, and our coach sent us to watch a professional team playing at Liberty Stadium in Ibadan. I didn’t have money to buy a ticket, but I saw a tall tree close to the stadium and decided to climb it and watch the match from there. Once I was in the tree, the Spirit of the Lord spoke to me, “If you fall down and die, where will you spend eternity?” I knew I would go to Hell because I was not right with God.

I did not even wait for the match to finish. I climbed down immediately and walked home. It was a miserable trek because I was under heavy conviction. Once by my bedside, I prayed a simple prayer: “Lord, I’m tired of my sin. I want deliverance.” I asked Him to forgive me of my sins and promised that I would never turn back if He would save my soul. In a moment, the Lord came into my heart, bringing joy and peace, and I knew I was a child of God.

Why was that my most notable day? Because it changed the course of my life forever! To begin with, it changed my eternal destination—I now have the hope of entering Heaven one day. But it also impacted every day until I get there. Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD.” Because I was saved, God could order the steps of my life according to His good plans.

Consider the fact that if I had not been saved that day in 1984, I would not have married my wife. Even if our paths would have somehow crossed outside of church, she would never have married an unbeliever.

Because I was saved, I had another remarkable day just two months after our wedding. I had a visa appointment at the embassy and God urged me, “Take your wife along.” Even though she was scheduled for a visa interview at a later date, she came and waited outside the embassy for me. During my interview, the visa officer asked about my wife and said, “Is she not going with you?” I told him that she did want to go but her appointment was for a different day. She was called and brought into the room, and soon we both had visas! That day was incredible. There is nothing our great God cannot do.

March 9, 2001, my wife and I left the shores of Nigeria, arriving in the United States on March 10. It was an unforgettable day. First, we said tearful goodbyes to our parents at the airport. We had been married less than three months. Then we went from a temperature of about ninety degrees in Lagos, to ten degrees in Chicago, Illinois. That was the first major difference between Nigeria and America; there were many more. Our move was a step of faith that changed the direction of our lives entirely.

More remarkable days were to come. In December of that same year, God gave us our first child, Florence. Felicia came in 2004 and Josiah in 2009. Each one was a gift from God and the days they were born were beautiful days to my wife and me.

By the time our third child was born, our family had relocated to Canada. For several years we enjoyed fellowship with our congregation in Langey, B.C. Then on August 10, 2010, a new journey of faith started when we packed up and moved to Pullman, Washington. Some dear friends drove with us to Pullman, but when we got there, we didn’t know anyone in our new town. There was no family of God to gather with. The nearest Apostolic Faith Church was in Yakima, Washington, which meant commuting about seven hours round trip to attend church. I found myself wondering, Why are we here? It has never been my practice to live far from church, but God had a plan. Seven months later, on a remarkable day for Brother Lee Spakousky, God led him and his wife to move to Eastern Washington. Soon another family came. One by one, more came, and fourteen years later, we enjoy worshiping with a beautiful family of God in Pullman.

I could go on about days when we experienced divine healing, provision, comfort in times of grief, and more. My life is only one example; every believer can testify of remarkable days, wonderful days, days we can never forget! And we can trace every one back to that defining day when we gave our lives to God. That was the most notable day of all, when God took us off the path of destruction and set us on the path of His goodness that ends in Heaven.

Notable days in the Bible

If you are already saved but you have some other need in your life, today can be a notable day when God undertakes for you. Scripture provides many examples of such days, and the same God who worked then is ready to answer our prayers now.

In the Book of Exodus, we read about the extraordinary day when God led the Children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. Pharaoh had not wanted to release them, but after God sent ten plagues on the land, he finally agreed. However, as soon as the Israelites left, he changed his mind and began to chase them. The Israelites stopped with the Red Sea in front of them and the Egyptian chariots pursuing from behind. There was nowhere to escape.

The enemy of our souls would like us to feel that we are trapped. Even after we are saved, he will try to lay snares and cause us to feel that there is no way out. But our God can always make a way.

We read in Exodus 14:13, “And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever” (emphasis added). God parted the Red Sea and the Israelites crossed over on dry land. Then their enemies drowned behind them.

Whatever fear we may have, God says to us, “Fear not.” He has promised us victory! God remembered His people in Egypt, and when we pray, He remembers us too. As we continue to consecrate our lives fully into His hands, one day He will say, “Today is the day of deliverance. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” God will fight for us, and the enemy of our souls will perish behind us.

John 5:1-8 gives the account of a man at the Pool of Bethesda who had been unable to walk for thirty-eight years. He was in a desperate situation. Every time there was a ray of hope that he could be healed, another person received the blessing instead because there was no one to help him into the pool when the waters were troubled. However, he was about to have a notable day because Jesus had come to see him.

We read in verse 6, “When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?” The man responded by explaining the obstacles he faced, but when God wants to bless, no other person or power can prevent it. Jesus mercifully healed him, and after thirty-eight years of immobility he walked away rejoicing!

The name Bethesda translates as “house of mercy.” I like to think of church as a kind of “house of mercy” because it is where God frees sinners and makes them children of God. It is where God’s people gather and He visits us and blesses us. We come to church so often that if we are not careful, it could start to seem ordinary. The schedule is familiar: Sunday school, morning service, and then prayer. It is a routine, but there is power in that routine! Every time we go to church is an opportunity to draw closer to the Lord. Every time, He has blessings prepared for us. He sees us and He knows the challenges in our lives. When we stop to seek Him, He will stop for us, and our hearts will rejoice when Jesus comes to our aid.

A notable day of battle is recorded in 1 Samuel 17. This was a winner-takes-all battle. For forty days, morning and evening the giant Goliath bragged about what he would do to his opponent. All of Israel was afraid. Nobody dared fight him.

Though only a shepherd boy, David believed God was more than a match for Goliath. He volunteered to fight the giant and told him, “I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee . . . And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’s” (1 Samuel 17:45-47, emphasis added). David slung one stone, and God used it to bring down Goliath.

David was young and inexperienced, but His God was wise and all knowing. He has never lost a battle! If we want to be on the victory side, we must be on God’s side. He will defeat every “Goliath” in our lives that would attempt to defy the living God.

A great day coming

The “great and notable day of the Lord” mentioned in Acts 2:20 is a future day of judgment for the entire world. It is a day that we all should be anticipating. When that day comes, those who are saved will have already been raptured from the earth, and will be enjoying paradise with the Lord. But those who rejected God’s offer of salvation will remain to see God’s wrath against sin poured out. 

How important it is to be counted among the saved on that day. Not only to escape God’s wrath, but to enjoy Heaven with Him, where we will be free from sickness and pain, free from heartache, and free from goodbyes. It will be wonderful!

Our lives are defined by notable days, and the greatest of all is the day we are saved. If you have not experienced your great day of salvation, today is a wonderful day for your spiritual birth. Surrender your life to God and He will make this the most joyful, unforgettable day of your life. If you have some other burden or need, give it fully to God and ask for His help. You may have thought that today was just another day, but it is not! This is a day for God to hear and answer prayer, to prove Himself strong, and to give you victory.