Am I choosing joy?

All the people began sobbing when they heard the commands of the law. Then Ezra the priest, and I as governor, and the Levites who were assisting me said to them, “Don’t cry on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God— it is a time to celebrate with a hearty meal and to send presents to those in need, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. You must not be dejected and sad!” And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling them, “That’s right! Don’t weep! For this is a day of holy joy, not of sadness.” So the people went away to eat a festive meal and to send presents; it was a time of great and joyful celebration because they could hear and understand God’s words. - Nehemiah 8:9-12 (Living Bible)

What stands out is that God did not allow the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem to stop with stone and mortar. Once the wall was finished, He turned His attention to the hearts of the people. The physical wall, though modest compared to former glory and surrounding enemies, was sufficient for God’s purposes. What truly needed restoration was their understanding of His Word. When Ezra read the Law, the people were not merely hearing familiar words—they were hearing them clearly and explained. And when the Word was understood, conviction followed. Their weeping was not shallow emotion; it was the appropriate response of hearts awakened to how far they had drifted from God’s revealed will.

Is executing God’s will for my life my number one priority?

Is the joy of the Lord my strength?

You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. - Psalm 16:11 (LSB)

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13 (NLT)

And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. - 1 Peter 1:8-9 (LSB)

Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (Living Bible)

He is my strength, my shield from every danger. I trusted in him, and he helped me. Joy rises in my heart until I burst out in songs of praise to him. - Psalm 28:7 (Living Bible)

He gives power to the tired and worn out, and strength to the weak. Even the youths shall be exhausted, and the young men will all give up. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. - Isaiah 40:29-31 (Living Bible)

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
that all who love your name may be filled with joy. - Psalm 5:11 (NLT)

And do not be worried, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and your stronghold. - Nehemiah 8:10b (Amplified Bible)

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. - Charles Swindoll

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your faithfulness to rebuild what has been broken in my life—not only what is visible, but what lies deep within my heart.
Lord, as You did with Your people in Jerusalem, open my ears to hear Your Word clearly and my mind to understand it rightly. Where I have neglected Your truth, forgive me. Where I have drifted into disobedience or complacency,  convict me by Your Spirit.
I confess that when Your Word exposes my sin, my heart often feels the weight of sorrow. Yet I thank You that You do not leave me there. Teach me to repent fully and to receive Your grace freely. Remind me that You are not displeased with a broken and contrite heart, and that Your mercy is new every morning.
Restore in me the joy of knowing You. Let the joy of the Lord be my strength—not my circumstances, not my accomplishments, but the steady confidence that I belong to You. Shape me into a person who delights in Your Word, walks in obedience, and reflects Your glory to those around me.
Rebuild me, O God, for Your purposes. May my life, though imperfect and unimpressive by the world’s standards, stand strong because it is founded on Your truth. In Jesus name, Amen.

Be Encouraged to choose the Joy of the Lord!



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Is your legacy eternal?

Image
Thirty years ago, I had the opportunity to pay tribute to the most influential man in my life. One of the things I shared was that in the way he lived his life, Monday through Saturday were no different than Sunday. His Christlike behavior was not relegated to Sunday, it was lived out each day of his life. Whether he was teaching, coaching, officiating, negotiating, serving in the church, or driving a truck (his summer job), it was evident that his priority in life was to bring honor to the name of Jesus Christ. The pastor that spoke at his funeral credited him as one of the three most influential men in his life. As a young boy, I was blessed to be in the next room while he shared the Gospel at our kitchen table with a young man that he had coached in high school, and led him in the prayer of salvation. If you were to get up very early in the morning at our house and look down the hallway, you would see the light on in his study. If you looked in, you would see him either in his chair...
Read more

What is my response?

Image
Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth. He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth.”   Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and...
Read more

What is tempting you?

Image
Now these things [the warnings and admonitions] took place as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did.  Do not be worshipers of handmade gods, as some of them were; just as it is written [in Scripture], “The people sat down to eat and drink [after sacrificing to the golden calf at Horeb], and stood up to play [indulging in immoral activities].”  We must not indulge in [nor tolerate] sexual immorality, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand [suddenly] fell [dead] in a single day!  We must not tempt the Lord [that is, test His patience, question His purpose or exploit His goodness], as some of them did—and they were killed by serpents.  And do not murmur [in unwarranted discontent], as some of them did—and were destroyed by the destroyer.  Now these things happened to them as an example and warning [to us]; they were written for our instruction [to admonish and equip us], upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let t...
Read more