Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites led the people in worship. The people listened well, were attentive to the Word, and considered what they were supposed to do. In fact, the people were heartbroken because they realized they had not been doing everything God expected from them. So notice what advice they were given… Go, live, serve, and do not sorrow because the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Do you find that some days it is hard to have joy? For you it may be a low-level frustration. Possibly your lack of joy looks like a gloomy feeling. Maybe you feel down. Each one of us experience a lack of joy in many different ways. Further, physical health problems or tiredness also play into a general sense of gloom.

Reading through Nehemiah this week, I ran across a verse that may prove helpful to each one of us. In this context, the people of Israel were leaving a period of great trials. They had just rebuilt the wall. In this chapter, Ezra brought the scrolls and began to read the Bible. Check out this verse:

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.” (Nehemiah 8:10)

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