The Joy of the Lord Is Your Strength

"The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10b, NASB). 

There is a popular slogan by Under Armour that says, "Protect This House." I think what it means is that as we exercise, we are helping our body by keeping it healthy. There are many other ways to seek physical health and protection. Where do you run for strength and protection?

Lately, this verse above has been on my mind. God sent Ezra and Nehemiah in these days to restore Jerusalem in very realistic, visual ways, as they rebuilt the temple and the city walls, respectively. The focus in this chapter is that as Ezra read God's law out loud, the people began weeping.

Why were they weeping? These people were weeping at the reading of God's Word and as they realized their sins. I think God's Word can be challenging and lovely at the same time. We can see He is holy and deserves the utmost respect and worship, and I think the people may have felt regret or sadness over their sin.

Kelli Martin

What did Ezra say about it? He asked them to not grieve or mourn. I think the purpose here is that God, in that moment, was there to restore His people not just physically but also spiritually. It was also time to start the festival of booths. God was proving His faithfulness to restore His people.

He can restore us today as well, as we turn to Him in belief and with a heart of repentance. He gave His Word out of love, so that we could know Him more. It is good to be sorrowful over our sins so that we see the need to turn from them and toward God, but we must trust that God also lets us turn to Him and come to Him. He is a forgiver. Let's embrace that and walk in faith in that.

Let's take a moment to praise Him because He has shown how He wants to restore us. Let's share with others, by word and by action, our source of joy and strength.

Check out all of the first part of chapter 8 in Nehemiah here: Nehemiah 8:1-12 (NLT)

"think pink!"

The month of October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I think it is inspiring to see how people unite across America to support breast cancer awareness, from mailing Yoplait yogurt lids to participating in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. According to www.breastcancer.org and www.cancer.org, about 13% women and 1% men in the United States have the disease.

What does the Bible say about how we can live like Him in the midst of these statistics?

>We can show COMPASSION to those who suffer: When Jesus learned that Lazarus died in John 11, we see that He was "deeply moved" (verse 33) and "wept" (verse 35).
>He asks us to have COURAGE: "I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world." –John 16:33 (HCSB)
>When we COME to and LEARN from Jesus, we will find REST: "Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." –Matthew 11:28 (HCSB)

Do you have any verses that you would like to share to those who are going through struggles such as breast cancer?

"May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word."
-2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (HCSB)