The Joy of the Lord is my Strength

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 8:10 TNIV)

The scene described in Nehemiah 8:10 was a holy day. It was a day of celebration and yet the people were weeping. They had ample cause for rejoicing. The city walls of Jerusalem had been rebuilt. Now it was time for a sacred gathering. Ezra was reading the Word of the Lord and the people were listening attentively. But on this holy day of celebration instead of shouts of joy there was weeping. No doubt their weeping was due to the recognition of their own sinfulness as Ezra read from God's word. It's understandable. I can relate. There have been times when I have read the Bible and responded in a similar manner. But, Nehemiah redirected their response. He told them to stop grieving and recognize that the joy of the Lord is their strength.  Is it possible to transform weeping into joy? If so, how do I move from the weakness and devastation that occurs when my sin is exposed into the strength produced by the joy of the Lord? The answer is found in one word. Gospel. I must choose to shift my focus to the Gospel and revisit the good news of God’s faithfulness and His provision of forgiveness and new life. I turn from my sin and look to the cross as an overwhelming reminder of the greatness of God’s love. In his book The Discipline of Grace, Jerry Bridges writes, "preach the Gospel to yourself everyday...Continually face up to your own sinfulness and then flee to Jesus through faith in His shed blood and righteous life". On the holy day described in Nehemiah 8, the people were called to celebrate the faithfulness of God and rejoice. As I turn my attention to the Gospel, I find that my hope is renewed, my joy is restored, and I find that the Lord is my source of strength.