Day 3: The Joy That Sustains
“And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.””
Nehemiah 8:9-10 NKJV
The is the account of God's people weeping over their failures, and the call to celebrate rather than mourn because the joy of the Lord is their strength.
Joy is not decoration. It is not a religious performance meant to make believers appear more spiritual. According to Nehemiah 8:10, the joy of the Lord is a stronghold -- a place of refuge and protection when danger threatens. The people of Israel had endured seventy years of captivity. Their walls had crumbled. Their nation had suffered tremendous loss. Yet God called them to celebrate his faithfulness rather than dwell on their failures. The same call reaches us today. You do not need a perfect life to experience the joy of the Lord. You simply need to know that the Lord himself is the source of your joy. Psalm 16:11 reminds us that in his presence is fullness of joy -- not in resolved circumstances, but in his presence.
Make a written list of five specific ways God has been faithful to you in the past year. Read it aloud as an act of worship, choosing to celebrate his faithfulness rather than rehearse your losses.
Nehemiah 8:9-10 NKJV
The is the account of God's people weeping over their failures, and the call to celebrate rather than mourn because the joy of the Lord is their strength.
Joy is not decoration. It is not a religious performance meant to make believers appear more spiritual. According to Nehemiah 8:10, the joy of the Lord is a stronghold -- a place of refuge and protection when danger threatens. The people of Israel had endured seventy years of captivity. Their walls had crumbled. Their nation had suffered tremendous loss. Yet God called them to celebrate his faithfulness rather than dwell on their failures. The same call reaches us today. You do not need a perfect life to experience the joy of the Lord. You simply need to know that the Lord himself is the source of your joy. Psalm 16:11 reminds us that in his presence is fullness of joy -- not in resolved circumstances, but in his presence.
Make a written list of five specific ways God has been faithful to you in the past year. Read it aloud as an act of worship, choosing to celebrate his faithfulness rather than rehearse your losses.
Posted in Under the Influence - LOVE JOY PEACE