Today’s Scripture: Nehemiah 8:10, NLT – “And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!””
Deep resounding joy, do you, have it? Do you want it? Do you need to know how to get it?
The eighth and ninth chapters of Nehemiah are a step-by-step process to find the joy of the LORD. Just as in building the wall there were materials needed and steps to take. These people of Nehemiah’s day had just completed the wall and now they were cementing their joy.
I am convinced that the steps to joy shown to us by these people are still the steps to joy.
What are these steps?
- Spend time listening closely and attentively to God’s Word. (Nehemiah 8:3)
2. Praise the LORD while lifting our hands toward heaven acknowledging this word is from the LORD. (Nehemiah 8:6)
3. Bow down and worship the LORD with our faces to the ground. (Nehemiah 8:6)
4. Receive instruction from our teachers and seek to understand each passage. (Nehemiah 8:7-8)
5. Proclaim that this day is holy to the LORD our God. (Nehemiah 8:9)
6. Replace our weeping with rejoicing and celebration in the LORD. (Nehemiah 8:10)
7. Embrace that the joy of the LORD is our strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)
8. Learn to be still in the holiness of the LORD our God. (Nehemiah 8:11)
9. Celebrate with great joy that we can understand the words of the LORD. (Nehemiah 8:12)
10. Proclaim God’s word and spread it throughout our towns. (Nehemiah 8:15)
11. Live in very great gladness. (Nehemiah 8:17)
12. Gather with other believers and fast. (Nehemiah 9:1)
13. Confess our sins. (Nehemiah 9:2)
14. Worship the LORD our God. (Nehemiah 9:3)
15. Cry out with loud voices to the LORD our God. (Nehemiah 9:4)
16. Stand and praise our LORD. (Nehemiah 9:5)
17. Pronounce that God alone is the LORD and that He made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. That He made the earth and the seas and everything in them. That God preserves them all, and all, even the angels of heaven worship Him. (Nehemiah 9:6)
18. We must review the history of God and His people. (Nehemiah 9:7-31)
19. We must thank God for keeping His covenant of mercy and love with us despite our wickedness. (Nehemiah 9:32)
20. We must admit our distress and recommit ourselves to the laws and covenants of our God. (Nehemiah 9:37-38)
Then we will find, understand, and know that the joy of our LORD is our strength!
Today’s Prayer: LORD God Almighty, thank You for Your Word. It is life, it is joy to those who hear and understand. Amen! So be Your ways. I thank You for these people, Your people who taught us the posture of prayer and the joy found there. The joy found in You LORD truly is our strength. I praise and worship You LORD. Help me to keep Your covenants and I am thankful You have kept your covenant of mercy and love despite our wickedness. Amen
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