The Joy of the Lord
(NIV) Prov 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
(NIV) Neh 8:5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 The Levites —Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read. 9 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. 10 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.”
Oh, how I love the book of Nehemiah. I preached a series on the unlikely heroes of the Bible, and Nehemiah was certainly one of those people.
Nehemiah was a cup bearer for the King of Babylon, which meant he drank from the King’s cup to ensure the contents were safe. In this capacity, Nehemiah became a trusted advisor to King Artaxerxes. Nehemiah heard of the plight of Jerusalem, and he began to grieve. People were returning to their homeland after living in exile, but life there was not good. Because there were no walls, the people lived in a state of anxiety, knowing they were not safe.
So Nehemiah, who had been responsible for one man’s safety, began to feel the burden for the safety of the Jewish people. With the approval of the king, Nehemiah traveled to Jerusalem where, against incredible odds, he oversaw the building of the wall. We begin today with the wall rebuilt, and the people eager for revival.
When we read of the sermon delivered by Ezra, the priest, it is foreign to us. First, the words of the law were read aloud for six hours. Secondly, all of the people stood in reverence to the Word. For six hours. And then they wept. The people wept because they were convicted of their sin.
When we begin to understand the holiness of God, and how our sin separates us from God, we necessarily grieve. But the lesson here is that once we realize our sin, and mourn, and then repent, there is cause for joy.
May we today and every day take joy in what God has done in our lives, knowing that the joy of the Lord is the source of our strength.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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