Friday, September 15, 2017

The Joy of the Lord

“Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’

The Levites calmed all the people, saying, ‘Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.’

Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.” (Nehemiah 8:9-12 NIV)

When you first fall in love, you feel like you can overcome anything—poverty, resistance from parents, anything that is thrown your way. Love, as the saying goes, can conquer all.  

The Israelites had just returned to a Jerusalem in ruins.  There were no houses and few businesses.  Yet Nehemiah had felt the call of the Lord to rebuild the city and he had begun with the walls.  In these ancient times, a city’s walls were vital for protection and symbolized a strong and vital community.  Now that the wall had been built, Nehemiah had called the people to return.  

At the dedication of the wall, the Word of the Lord was read and the people were cut to the heart by the recognition of their sin.  For the Lord had allowed the city to be destroyed because of the disobedience of the Israelites. (II Chronicles 36:15-19)  Their eyes welled up in tears of grief and fear.  But Nehemiah exhorted them not to grieve, but instead to celebrate.  He said, “For the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

All of us have and will continue to experience difficult times, whether by things thrust upon us or by things of our own making.  In those times we will find ourselves very low, but we need not weep or mourn.  Like young people in love, the joy we have in the Lord can carry us through whatever we face.  For the Lord is above all things and our troubles, no matter how great they may seem, are, as Paul describes them, “light and momentary” (II Corinthians 4:17) The joy we have in the Lord far outweighs them all because we know there is coming a day when all our trials and sorrows will pass away.  So this joy, this hope, is a source of strength when times get really hard.

Today, if you are going through a difficult time, know the joy of the Lord can be your strength.  Regardless of what you are facing, His love can conquer it. 

© Jim Musser 2017

No comments: