Joy Is Your Strength

Transcript

Hello, my friend, what a joy to be with you today. This is By God's Call — day 141, Joy Is Your Strength.

"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.

Let me set the scene. The people of Israel had just finished rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem — grueling work, done under constant threat and opposition. And now, finally at peace, they gather in the square to hear Ezra read God's Law aloud. And what happens? They weep. They weep because, hearing the Word, they realize how far they've drifted. It's a weeping of conviction, of genuine repentance.

And it's exactly at that moment that Nehemiah does something surprising. He doesn't leave the people sunk in tears. He says: go, eat well, drink with gladness, and — pay attention to this — send portions to anyone who has nothing ready. It's not just "celebrate on your own." It's "celebrate, and bring others along with you." The joy God gives is never meant to be hoarded; it always spills over to the person next to you.

Nehemiah also says: this day is holy to our Lord. Notice something interesting here — what made that day holy wasn't fasting, wasn't sorrow. It was the Lord's presence being celebrated in community, around a full table. We sometimes think being spiritual means being serious all the time. But there are days when the most spiritual thing you can do is eat with gladness and give thanks.

And then comes the direct command: do not be grieved. Not because their grief was wrong — it was genuine, it was sincere. But because there was a right time for it, and that moment was not it. Sometimes we need that same word too: you've cried enough for today. God is calling you to something else right now.

And then comes the line that has echoed across the centuries: the joy of the LORD is your strength. This isn't manufactured happiness, it isn't pretending everything is fine. It's a joy that comes from knowing who God is, what He has already done, that He is present. And that joy isn't decoration — it's fuel. It is real strength to keep rebuilding whatever is broken in your life, your work, your family.

Are you tired today, my friend? Maybe you've cried plenty this week — rightly so. But let me remind you: there comes a moment when God says, "enough now, get up and celebrate with me." And celebrating with God is never a solo act. There is always someone near you who has nothing ready today — maybe needing a word, a meal, a little of your time.

So here is today's call: set aside a portion of what you have — it could be food, it could be time, it could be money — and send it to someone whose hands are empty today. Make it an act of joy, not obligation. And as you do it, remember: the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Stay close to God. Celebrate — then share. I'll see you tomorrow, my friend.