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Day 9 – Joy and Gladness Nehemiah 8 Many things make us happy, but what brings joy? Happiness is fleeting, but joy lasts a lifetime. Israel was sorrowful when they heard the law of the Lord read to them. They understood what God told them in the law and they wept. Yet they were told it was not a time of sorrow, but a time of joy, because in hearing God’s law, they received strength, and that strength was their joy. If something makes you happy today, and yet tomorrow you go around sad and depressed, you do not have the joy of the Lord on your life. Joy comes from the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (KJV) As Christians we cannot go around looking like we’ve sucked lemons when we have the joy of the Lord deep down inside us. There’s a great song children sing which should be a song we should all sing when we have the joy of the Lord in our lives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LylgwOEI7AY Nehemiah and Ezra the scribe who read the book of the law to the people told them they were not to grieve, but they were to go and eat the fat and drink the sweet – in other words they were to prepare their best foods and share them with those who did not have anything prepared, and the joy of the LORD would be their strength. Whenever we set out a holiday meal, we prepare the best foods we can find, most handed down from past generations and gather our families around us to enjoy the feast with us. In my experience I’ve never seen anyone unhappy when food is in front of them, and they leave the table replete because they have had their fill. In the same way we feast on the Word of God and in so doing we also feed our souls, causing joy to go down and to rise up to overflowing so it spills over on everyone we meet. When we KNOW the Word of God, as Ezra and the Levites caused the people to know the Law of God, then we know our salvation is from God through Jesus His Son. And knowing where our salvation comes from, brings joy and gladness to our hearts, joy that cannot be wiped away, that brings strength to our lives every day and every time we open God’s Word to feast again on what He says to us. Do you have the joy of Jesus down in your heart? Does it rise up like a tide overflowing to all you meet? Let’s pray: Father, let Your joy fill my life to overflowing so that it spills over to everyone I meet and they might know You the source of my strength. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 4 February 2016 by Valerie Jean Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay