Hello Advent Family,

Yesterday was a pretty good day.  I got up early had a good time of personal worship with God then worshipped with my church family. I went golfing with some good friends, played well, and beat all of them (the last part is just icing on the cake).  The Miami Dolphins won, the Patriots lost, and the Dolphins made the playoffs for the first time in a while.  I was going to cook but ended up going out to a nice dinner with my family and my Father in law picked up the tab.  It was a pretty good day until it wasn’t.  I got a phone call from a good friend with some bad news going on in his family.  My mood changed pretty quickly.  I was feeling down until I remembered the following passage from Nehemiah.  Let’s look at it together today.

9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. 10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.” 12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them. 13 On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. 14 They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month 15 and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written. 16 So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great. 18 Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.

To understand this passage you need a little context.  Nehemiah has built the wall and now the people of Israel are being read and taught the law.  The people are properly sad because of their sin but they are being reminded that they should actually be experiencing joy because of God’s grace and forgiveness.  No matter what circumstances we are facing in life good or bad, the joy of the Lord is our strength.  I reminded my friend of this truth in our brief conversation and we both found our spirts were lifted.   We prayed and I went back to feeling pretty great.  The next time you find yourself down remember the joy of the Lord.  Remember what great things God has done.  Remember and be glad. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

P.S. I also wanted to mention once more the Dolphins are in the playoffs!