Nehemiah 8:10 “Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.””
C. S. Lewis said, “Joy is the serious business of heaven.” Nehemiah, along with Ezra, have been rebuilding a place and reviving a people! The book Nehemiah begins with a people in great distress yet as Nehemiah leads to rebuild and as Ezra preaches to revive, we see a change from great distress (Neh. 1:3) to great gladness (Neh. 8:24).
Nehemiah 8 tells of a special holy day where God’s Word has been proclaimed and brought the people to weep (v9) as they were broken and humbled. They were filled with godly sorrow for their sin. Upon seeing this response, Ezra now encouraged them to go forth and enjoy – enjoy the blessings of God – eating the fat, drinking the sweet (tea). They were also challenged to think of others who may not have food for the celebration and to make sure they did have some.
Blessings are to be shared!!!
Verse 10 gives the great challenge not to be sorrowful but to live cheerfully as the joy of the Lord provides us strength for the journey. Recall from Proverbs 15:15 that “he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.” And Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart does good, like medicine.” Living joyfully makes all the difference.
Today I encourage you to enjoy the present that God has given you. One of the first verses to consider each new day is Psalm 118:24 which says, “This is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Enjoy your day enjoying the Lord and His rich blessings,
Continue Strong with joy,
And remember to DATE the Word