Good morning Awakening!
These past few months has been crazy for me. From the many errands, church plant, sermon preps, lesson plans, church planning, meetings, and many other misc. little things which add up that needs to get done, it may feel like constantly playing the game of catch-up. But you know what, I am joyful!
In Nehemiah 8:9-10, it says, 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 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.”
The context of Nehemiah is that the Israelites whom were under the oppression of the Babylonians, are now under the governance of the Persian empire. The king allows Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple walls. After the rebuilding, the Jewish people observed the law of Moses and they were reminded of this in verse 9-10. They were told not to weep. They had been in oppression for far too long. This was a joyous day because Jerusalem was destroyed, and now it is erect once again. However this does not mean that they were suddenly free from Persian rule. The people are reminded, “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
How many of us just get overwhelmed by the things that are in life? How many of us get caught up in playing catchup and are burdened? How many of us feel as if time is just too little? Can we at all times say that the “joy of the Lord is our strength”? WOW. No matter what life throws at us, the JOY of the LORD should be our strength.
Awakening Church 