Joy of the Lord is my strength

Greetings to all my friends in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ! All the glory to my Lord and my Savior, Jesus Christ!
Joy of the Lord is my strength

Neh.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.”’

The book of Nehemiah begins with a sad note of a sorrowful Nehemiah, who sits for days in the presence of the Lord after hearing about the broken walls of Jerusalem and its burnt gates, which had caused great affliction of the remnant of the Jews there. Further, we see him approaching the king whom he served, with an appeal which got approved. Nehemiah thus proceeds to build up the broken walls of Jerusalem. God raises up the remnant to build the walls under the leadership of Nehemiah. Neh.6:15 says that the wall was finished in the 25th day of the month E-lul, in 52 days. Neh. 7:1 again says that the wall was built. But further as we read this book, we see that Nehemiah’s mission was not yet complete. His mission was not just to build up the broken walls of Jerusalem, but to see to it that the built up walls steadfastly stands strong in such a way that it’s no more broken. He had in fact seen the root cause of the broken walls with his spiritual eyes. He was a man of insight. His weeping and mourning was not just over the broken walls of Jerusalem, but instead over the factors of corruption which had caused it. He proceeded to uproot the causes of broken walls and the Lord prospered him.

Sanctification: In Neh.7:3, ‘And I said to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut and bar the doors; and appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his watch station and another in front of his own house.” After the walls were built, Nehemiah charged the keepers of the gates of Jerusalem to keep them closed till the sun be hot. Guards were appointed. The purpose was the protection of the entire city from all encroachments of outsiders or enemies. The walls of Jerusalem represent the prayers, which watch over Jerusalem, the church from all attacks and encroachments of the world, sin and Satan. Jerusalem was separated from the world by this wall. It’s the prayerful life that causes us, the church to be sanctified from this world. The more we grow in prayers, the more of our heart and mind is sanctified for the Lord and the heavenly blessings. The walls of prayers keep away the thoughts of this world and sin. Whenever we allow any sin to encroach into our heart, automatically, our desire to pray decreases, and the walls of prayers are broken. By building up the broken walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah sanctified the whole congregation from the disturbing attacks of the enemy.

Nehemiah then gathered all the people, and recognized them by their genealogy. In Neh.7:63-65, we see how names of few priests were not found in the register as they were polluted and put from the priesthood. Thus recognition by genealogy brought the pollution to the surface to be noted. Nehemiah then goes ahead to get rid of this pollution. In Neh.8, we see Ezra, the scribe opening the book of law in the presence of the whole congregation of Israel and reading it aloud to the people. Nehemiah knew that the only way to restore the purification of hearts was by returning to the Word of God.

Awesome Awe for His Law: Neh.8:5 says that when Ezra opened the book of the law, all the people stood up. The book was not only read to them. The Levites and others with them caused the people to understand the law. It shows the meditation part of the Word of God, which allows the Word to sink into hearts. And the whole congregation remained standing all through out this time, which reflects the respect the people gave to the law of God. They feared the law as much as they feared His presence. They had come with a prepared heart and in one accord to receive His law. The re-built walls had sanctified them all the thoughts about the afflictions from the enemy. The long standing posture did not tire them, for their hearts were completely absorbed in the Word of God. Dear friends, how much do we fear His presence as we read and meditate His word? The easy availability of His word today has stolen away the fear of the Lord from innumerable hearts. Let’s not forget that the Word of God is God Himself and its power can never decrease with time or its easy availability. This remains as the double edged sword, the sword of the Sprit, by whom each of us will be judged. It’s as sharp as the very mouth of the living God. Rev.19:13-16, ‘He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean,[f] followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp[g] sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.’ Our Lord came first into this world as a merciful Saviour, but now anytime He will come as these verses present him. May the respect and fear of the Lord be restored in our hearts as we meditate His word daily and be transformed to be prepared for his coming.

The Joy of the Lord and its consequence: Neh.8:9 says that all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Their hearts were convicted of their sinfulness and tears of repentance flowed from their eyes. This is the fruit of true meditation of his word. Nehemiah then, as a loving father comforted the people by asking them not to weep or be grieved. A repenting heart is comforted by the Lord. Mt.5:4 says that, ‘blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted.’ A mourning heart, when comforted by the divine hands, is filled with new joy, which becomes his of her strength. The entire congregation continued to gather together to hear & understand the law of the Lord for one week and these days were like feast days. They sat under booths reminding themselves of the ways God had delivered them in the past. And great gladness among the children of Israel. In the 9th chapter, the seed of Israel separated themselves from all the strangers, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers (Neh.9:2). They did not need anyone to specify the sins in them. The law of the Lord convicted them and lead them to repentance. Their purification followed immediately. They did not hesitate to seperate from wives and children who were the people of that land (Neh.10:28). This was for certain a tough task. But the joy of the lord gave them abundant strength to bear the pain of seperating from all that the law required them to. And Nehemiah himself took up various issues of the Levites and the temple of God for the purpose of purification and restoration of the practices as per the law. Purification and restoration is the consequence of the joy of the Lord.

Nehemiah took no rest till he did all he could. He knew that the corruption of the hearts of the entire congregation was the root cause of the broken walls of Jerusalem. Hence, he took all efforts to make them hear the word of God and to purify the whole city of the Lord. He knew that the built up walls could sustain only if the congregation of Israel sustained in the law of the Lord through repentance and purification. Dear friends, we are called to abide in His joy, which is the consequence of daily munching of His word. A person rejoicing in the Lord can only have the spiritual strength to grow in purification and thus be daily prepared for the Lords coming. Prayer lives of such persons go steady and growing. Loosing the earnestness for prayers is the first sign of spiritual sickness, just like fever is a sign of any infection in a human body. If we are struggling much to pray, if we have lost the eagerness to pray, lets examine our hearts in the light of His unchanging Word to identify the encroached sicknesss of sin.
We see Jesus in prayers most of His life on earth. He never struggled to pray. Even the terrible pain on the cross could not stop Him from praying. Its because there was no sin in Him. Likewise, there is only one way to grow in prayers and to have the walls of prayers strong around our personal lives, families, churches, nations etc. Keep pursuing holiness through continuous abiding in the Word of God. May God strengthen us to seek His joy and His strength in our daily lives.

God bless us all

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