Day #320 - Joy Strength
The Presence - A Devotional for living in Thanksgiving, Worship and Wonder
“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. 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.””
Nehemiah 8:8-10 NIV
Do you associate the word holy with joy?
I think if I’m being honest I tend to think of the word holy as a somber word. If I try and think of something that feels holy and joyful, I would tend to think of a birthday celebration. It’s a day that feels special or set apart and joyful. My parents and now my wife have always made it a special day. But I think when it comes to days that are set apart as a holy day we don’t often think of them as joyful.
When Nehemiah was rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, there was also a spiritual revival or return to the Lord. Ezra the priest was leading this revival by reinstituting the reading of Scripture. The people started weeping upon hearing the Scriptures being read aloud after being deprived of them for so long. Nehemiah had to tell everyone to stop crying on this holy occasion. It was not a day for crying but a day for rejoicing. Nehemiah proclaimed here, “the joy of the Lord is our strength!”
When we come before “the Presence” we can have a single learned response that is more comfortable with tears than with joy and laughter. But joy, rejoicing and thanksgiving celebrations are also holy unto the Lord. There is a place and time for tears and godly sorrow before the Lord’s presence. But it’s important that we don’t get stuck in one dimension of encountering God.
God is not only near us in our crying but He is near us in our laughter. Holy days are not only days of fasting and mourning, they are days of feasting and celebrating. The Lord is present in our celebrations and these times are holy to Him. Celebration should be holy to us too. We are strengthened in the joy of the Lord.
Lord, Your joy is my strength. Thank you for helping me live in wonder, thanksgiving and rejoicing. Help me to not only fast but to also remember to feast and celebrate Your goodness. Release Your holy joy and the laughter or celebration in my life. In Jesus name, amen.