Nehemiah 8:10b
….for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
In the time of Nehemiah, the people had been on a long journey back from exile, trying to find their way to the next chapter. They were tired, they were emotional, they were relieved to hear the word of the Lord proclaimed back home. And they knew that the next part of the journey wasn’t going to be easy either. They needed strength for the rebuilding that lay ahead.
Where does our strength come from? We may not have just completed an arduous journey of walking many miles out of exile, but we may feel as though we did. In this always running, too busy society, it can be hard to find the strength we need to keep moving forward on a path that is about the things we believe are important. Building our lives on the foundation of the joy of the Lord, that’s a path that gives us strength. Joy is more than happiness, joy is like an ever-flowing fountain that we can find inside us. Joy comes from knowing that God’s love and grace is present with us always, and never leaves us alone.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to find the joy you have planted in my heart this day. Amen
Reflection Questions:
- How do you define joy?
- Do you experience joy as a strength?
- Where do you need to bring joy into your journey today?