BE JOYFUL

Neh. 8:10  Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of choice foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared.  This is a sacred day before the LORD.  Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!”

      When God’s Word was read to the people, they responded with sorrow and discouragement.  They knew that they had fallen way short of living up to God’s standards.  They were cut to the heart, because they knew that they had failed to obey God.  God wanted to do so much for them, and they had not let Him because of the stubbornness of their hearts.

       It is a good thing to hear from God and be moved by how far away from His guidance we have wandered.  It is good for us to see ourselves as we really are in light of God’s Word.  It is good for us to be moved to despair when our sins are revealed.  It is necessary for our souls’ health for us to see our need for repentance and change.

       Nehemiah understood the mood of the people.  He knew they were genuinely sorry for what they had done.  He knew that their sorrow was leading them to change.  He saw this change of heart as a time for rejoicing.  There is much to celebrate when God’s children see the light and turn their hearts back to Him.

       Praise and worship naturally follow repentance.  It is good for us to celebrate what the Lord has done in us.  It is good for us to turn our hearts to the Lord and yield to Him.  Praise and thanksgiving are the natural responses for a soul who has been made right with God.

        Let it be so for us.  Let us find the help we need from God’s Word.  Let us be quickened in our hearts and moved to repentance.  Let us let the Lord have His way with us.  And then, let us too rejoice in what the Lord is doing in us.  Let us celebrate with joyfulness in our hearts for He is our redeemer and strength.  Each day is a sacred day for those redeemed by the blood of Jesus.