Our Strength? The joy of the Lord!

You have probably heard the phrase, “inquiring minds want to know”. Well the answer to that statement is our bible boost for today. In the book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament Nehemiah chapter 8 and verse 10 we hear these words for God’s people, Go eat of the fat, drink of the sweet and send portions to him who has nothing prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH.” To appreciate that statement we have to understand a few things.

Remember now, the children of Israel had been in captivity in Babylon for 70 years. There were 3 major times when people returned to their homeland and Jerusalem. The first time was in 536 B.C. under Zerabbabel when 0ver 42,000 returned. Ezra led a group in 457 B.C.

By the time Nehemiah arrives in 444 B.C., almost 100 years had passed and still the walls of Jerusalem lay in shambles. It is incredible, and almost miraculous to discover in the book of Nehemiah that under his leadership those walls were rebuilt in only 52 days according to Nehemiah 6:15.

So, the inquiring mind will naturally want to ask, “What happened?” What inspired these people who for decades had done nothing to all of a sudden come alive with ambition and energy? We probably can answer that completely beyond our finite minds, but we can make some observations in light of what we read in Nehemiah.

We can see where after the wall was completed that Nehemiah and Ezra gathered the people together for a study of God’s Word and a time of reflection and rejoicing. It was in this context that the people were told to quit mourning and weeping. Instead they were told to have a banquet and eat and drink. They were to share their exuberance with those who had nothing.

For generations these people had been beaten down and oppressed. Seventy long years of captivity had given them a slave mentality. Though they had now been free for almost 100 years they still had not escaped the atmosphere of failure and oppression.

Then one day a dream was born in the mind of a man who was the cupbearer to the King, Nehemiah. Nehemiah surveyed the city of Jerusalem and a plan emerged which would turn shambles into a citadel of strength. His optimism was contagious. Soon the men who had shown no imitative or will now were busy about God’s business.
Nehemiah said the people had a mind to work. And work they did. Rebuilding the walls in 52 days.

You know friends, we can look around us and feel beaten down, oppressed with all the national and international events that trouble our minds. Lack of jobs, tumbling economy, threat of nuclear war, and strained relations between countries troubles us. Maybe, we even have strained relations at home or at work.

But, let us remember how the people of Nehemiah triumphed. “The Joy of The Lord was their strength.” Finding strength in the Lord help them accomplish more in 52 days than what their ancestors had accomplished in 52 years.

So, remember our bible boost for today is from Nehemiah 8 verse 10. “The joy of the Lord is our strength.”

I am praying for you and your family,
Leonard