I have found as I have aged (and I’m almost thirty) that there is almost always more to a story than what I heard when I was younger. History is both more complicated and more interesting than I was taught in grade school. God’s Creation is magnificently intricate, and we don’t even understand our own bodies fully. And our God is fully loving and powerful like I learned way back when, though I understand that a bit better now.

One story in which I have found great joy comes from the book of Nehemiah. I was introduced to it through a chant when I worked at Pine Cove Christian Camps. At camp, we would jump to welcome the campers every morning during the week and that wasn’t always easy, especially with a full day of camp coming later. So, we would yell cheers and chants and one of my favorites was, “The Joy of the Lord is our Strength!” We would shout that phrase, believe it, and desire it to be true right then, that our joy in working for God would lend us strength for our tired legs.

That is a good sentiment in itself, but it is now more meaningful to me as I have learned the story of Nehemiah and the origin of that quote. Quickly summarized, Nehemiah was a leader of Israel when they were sent back to Jerusalem from the exile in Babylon. Nehemiah led the people in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and protecting themselves from their many enemies.

When the wall was finally completed, the eighth chapter of Nehemiah tells us that all of the people gathered in the square before the Water Gate. Ezra the scribe brought the Law of God before the people and read it from start to finish.

This prompted the people to worship the Lord! After the reading, the Levites helped the people to understand the Law, which hadn’t been prominent for all the Jews in the Exile. And then the people reacted in a way I didn’t expect:

Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 
Nehemiah 8:9

The people of Israel had heard the words of the Law and realized their brokenness. They were confronted by their sin and were confessing it in their worship and their grief. However, both Ezra and Nehemiah knew that the Law of the Lord is also a source of Joy:

Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 
Nehemiah 8:10

Today, I desire that same Joy. I want to be filled with Strength because I rejoice in the rightness and the goodness of God’s Law and Character. I want to rest in that goodness and the confidence that comes from following God. I pray that as we confess our sins and celebrate the sacrifice of our King at Easter, we will be strengthened with the Joy of the Lord. God bless you. Let us pray with our family and for our family.

God’s Joy and Strength be with you all, 
Noah