Have you ever really thought about what Nehemiah 8:10 really means? Let’s take a look:

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

My pastor always teaches us to go back in the scriptures to understand the context of what is happening. At this time in the text, the children of Israel had just been reconciled to God after a period of time in exile. We know the love God has for his people, we have seen it numerous times in scripture. Imagine being separated from the ones you love for years. Wouldn’t you be overjoyed at their return? We also see this joy of reconciliation in the parable of the Prodigal Son. This certain man, upon the return of the son who had gone off to a far land and wasted all he had on what the Bible calls riotous living, instructed his servants to kill the fatted calf. It was a time of joy and celebration! Maybe your child, like mine, serves in the military. The times when she is granted leave and comes home are few and far between. But when I see my baby walk out of the doors of the airport, my heart leaps with joy! Sometimes when I see her, she is bruised and damaged, other times she is happy and whole. No matter the condition, the period of separation has ended and a joyous celebration begins. This is the joy of the Lord that Nehemiah describes. God is excited about having His people back in fellowship with Him.

You’re probably thinking, “Okay Shereece, I get how the Lord has joy, but how does that give me strength?” Let’s take a look back at the children of Israel. Ezra was reading the law and the Bible tells us that they were weeping because of their sin. They are then told that this day is holy to the Lord (because His children had been returned) and they should go and enjoy good food. Why would he tell them to go celebrate while they were sorrowful? Here is the good news! Proverbs 10:12 tells us that love covereth all sins! 1 Peter 4:8 also tells us to have fervent charity (love) because charity (love) shall cover the multitude of sins! We already know that God loves us because we are his children! This, friends, is what should strengthen us! God loves us! How do I know? It’s very clear in John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Zephaniah 3:17 NLT says:

For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty saviour. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

Today, on this Resurrection Sunday, we are reminded that He is risen! The Lord does indeed live and we have the Spirit of the Lord dwelling on the inside. We can draw strength from knowing this; from knowing that the Lord rejoices about us! Think about it, if you heard the Lord singing a joyful song because of YOU, wouldn’t that calm all of your worries, fears, and sorrow? Well, He is singing! God loves you! He rejoices over you! Romans 5:17 says, …even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. “The joy of the Lord is your strength” is manifested in our lives when we accept God at His word and abide in Him.

Let me encourage you to stay connected to God. One of the ways we stay connected is through prayer. Did you know that your prayers also fill God with joy? Consider joining the Prayer Life Power-Up Challenge to reinvigorate your prayer life. I have some exciting things to share with you in this 5-day challenge. Until then, I want to give you a gift – three daily affirmations that I’m currently using each day. Each one is listed with an example of how I put them to work in my life. Remember that faith without works is dead. Faith work goes along with affirmations.

Reflection Questions:

What do I think of the verse that says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength?”

How will I incorporate this knowledge into my daily life?

I’d love to hear from you! Follow The Winning Room and leave a comment below. 

~ Shereece