Our Source of Strength

Today our theme is joy... so enJOY!

Nehemiah 8:10 "Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

I find it interesting that first of all, this is not a question.  Nehemiah didn't ask the Israelites to please not be grieved but he gave them a command.  This is in the context where the people heard the law and saw their shortcomings.  God's reply to them however in the previous verse was to rejoice because this day is the day of the Lord; a Holy day.  We read a similar verse in Psalms

 Psalm 118:24 "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Once again we read that this is not a question but a direct command.

Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice."

 We hear in the verse in Nehemiah that "the joy of the Lord is your strength"  Now God's people heard this when they were facing a major problem.  This is the key.  When you look at your problems its easy to feel disrepair and guilt.  We so often pray for strength and energy to make it through but the key element is to focus on God, find pleasure in Him because rejoicing in our savior is where our true strength lies.