During this holiday season I wanted to take time to study the scriptures on being joyful. In my studies I came across this nagging question: What makes us joyful?
The answer became clear when I read Nehemiah 7 through 9 about the days of Jerusalem’s restoration. The people of Israel were reconnecting with the word of God and restoring the Feasts of the Lord after returning from exile. Ezra and the Levites “read from the book, from the the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading” (Nehemiah 8:8 ). As the people were listening they began to weep, but were instructed: “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). You see, Nehemiah and Ezra were responsible for teaching the people, and they were diligent to bring understanding. The people were able to “celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them” (Nehemiah 8:12).
As I read this story I was delighted to recognize that we are joyful because the Father gives us joy as we understand His word. We have help from the Holy Spirit and our pastors who, like Nehemiah and Ezra, are men of integrity to go before God and bring the understanding of the scriptures to us. Too often we get discouraged, dismayed and succumbed to anxiety and unbelief. We cannot allow that to happen. I believe the answer to what truly makes us happy is closeness to God and the understanding of His word as He reveals it to us. That is the secret that will keep us from becoming hopeless, overextended and fatigued. I understand now why the joy of the Lord is our strength. His joy is a shield surrounding us.
So I make this my prayer for this season: Father, we trust in you no matter what the circumstances are. Holy Spirit, guide us to the understanding of the scriptures as we carve out time to wait on the Lord and read His word. Having this hope and being filled with the Spirit, let us celebrate with a sincere heart, and with a meaningful joy! Only then can we truly be thankful, honestly forgiving, and spreading joy and good news. What a blessing to have the living word of God and the Holy Spirit in our lives!
I’d like to end with the words of Paul to the Thessalonians: “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Here are additional scriptures to meditate on during this time:
1 Peter 1:6-8
Philippians 4:6-7
1 Thessalonians 5:16
Nehemiah 8:9-10
Psalm 29:11
Romans 15:13