SCRIPTURE: Nehemiah 8
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” [Nehemiah 8:10]
The people hear the message, and they realize their sin; their hearts are exposed before God and they weep.
But Nehemiah tells them not to weep, but to celebrate – not because they are so good, but because God is so good.
This is a holy moment, where the God of mercy does not condemn them but welcomes them in love.
Celebrate God’s grace, and share His grace with those who do not have it!
Find strength in the joy that comes from knowing that God loves and receives and blesses us!
For the joy of the Lord – knowing His greatness and goodness – is our strength, our inner source of life!
I could not find a direct passage in the life of Jesus that related to this, but I was led to reflect on the time when Jesus blesses the Samaritan woman.
The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” So the people came streaming from the village to see him. Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.” But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.” “Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other. Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. [John 4:28-34]
Her heart has been exposed by Jesus (her broken life, her many husbands), yet her response is not despair but hope.
He offers her living water that will satisfy and strengthen her within, in a deep and lasting way.
I sense that she is finding strength in the joy of the Lord, in His mercy and blessing for her.
And in joy, she runs to her community and tells them, shares her joy with them.
But I also notice that Jesus seems to be finding strength deep within as well – not from physical food but from God!
His soul is rejoicing, His heart is strengthened, because He finds sustenance in God.
Jesus is energized by His conversation with this Samaritan woman; He is nourished by participating in and sharing the mercy and blessing of God.
The joy of the Lord is His strength, it is His real food, what nourishes Him above all else!
What I see in both of these passages is that the best way to satisfy and strengthen ourselves is to delight in the Lord, in His mercy and love and power.
There is something deeply satisfying, refreshing, nourishing, strengthening in rejoicing in the Lord.
If we focus on our failures, on how we have messed up, on the imperfections that remain in our lives – then we will despair.
But Nehemiah urges us to celebrate God’s grace, to find strength in the joy of the Lord.
And Jesus models this deep, deep joy in God, and offers it to the woman as well (living water).
Do you have this deep, deep joy?
Do you feed on, and find nourishment in, your relationship with the Lord?
Don’t dwell on your sin (in both stories the characters involved were sinners), but dwell on His love, His mercy!
Let this feed your soul, let this strengthen you within, let this joy energize You!
PRAYER:
Lord, I do have a tendency to focus on my failure, instead of on Your mercy and love. Help me today to celebrate Your love, to find strength and joy in knowing that You know me, love me, and will bless me!
hi Beida.. what you wrote is true. I know a reply to your msg is probably too late but i just want to share to this to you.
Our trials can really be overwhelming, and sometimes we think we can’t overcome it. When you are weak, then you are strong, because you rely on God for strength. Do not use your own strength. Cast all your burdens to Him, and He will give you rest and perfect peace. Delight and rejoice in your sufferings, because you know that God is at work in you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. If you know and experience God’s love for you, you will understand that His will is perfect, He is always in control, no matter what the situation is.
Remember those great men in the Bible, remember Job, Paul, Peter, and most of all, remember Jesus. They showed us how to live, how to rejoice in sufferings. We must learn from them. Continue in prayer and know very well in your heart that He loves you, and He is faithful. He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it. God bless you!
How can you find joy in the midst of your trials? Is too big for me right now when I feel so weak. Although I am able to focus on God’s love, that I can do. Why is it then, I can not find this joy? I am fighting to stay focused on His love, mercy and grace and I can not find the joy!
The joy of the Lord God is my strength.
How often do I celebrate God’s goodness by dwelling on His Word day in and day out? I spend time with devotions in the A.M. and at meal times and before I lay me down to sleep. But to spend days away from the daily routines of life and to spend it on His Word for daily living . . . that truly would be great. The people returned to celebrate God’s goodness and I too must do that. I need to celebrate that goodness each and every day and not just for seven days . . . a number of completion/wholeness. All is a possibility each and every day for our Lord God is with me. God’s grace. God’s providence. Each day anew I see that I am living in His Providence – that’s also the name of our motor home – under His care and guidance.
Again, today I go forward in His presence knowing and realizing that this is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad and celebrate His presence in my life!
This is the day(2)
That the Lord has made(2)
We/I will rejoice(2)
And be glad in it(2)
This is the day that the lord has made
We/I will rejoice and be glad in it…