Daily Devotional

I wanted to encourage my granddaughter the other day and the Lord brought this verse to my mind. 

After Nehemiah came and helped the people rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, Ezra stood on a platform and spoke from the Word. The priests and scribes and the Levites helped the people understand it.  And as they understood them they wept. 

They wept because they realized how far they had strayed from God's ways. They were convicted and sorry for their sins and disobedience.

Sometimes we can get so caught up in the sorrow over our sins that we don't get to the point of the practicality of the joy that comes from the Lord's forgiveness. I think the words that the leaders spoke right after the people started weeping were indicative of how the Lord wants us to respond to His death and resurrection through the situations we deal with in our daily lives. .

"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

This is the way I look at those words…
Strengthen yourself with His Word, eat some breakfast, look for those who need encouragement today. May His joy STRENGTHEN your inner being

The Joy Of The LORD Is My Strength
The joy of the LORD is my strength
The joy of the LORD is my strength
The joy of the LORD is my strength
The joy of the LORD is my strength
He heals the broken-hearted and they cry no more
He heals the broken-hearted and they cry no more
He heals the broken-hearted and they cry no more
The joy of the LORD is my strength!
He gives me living water and I thirst no more
He gives me living water and I thirst no more
He gives me living water and I thirst no more
The joy of the LORD is my strength!
He fills my soul with laughter
Ha, ha, ha … ha, ha (ha ha)
He fills my soul with laughter
Ha, ha, ha … ha, ha (ha ha)
He fills my soul with laughter
Ha, ha, ha … ha, ha
The joy of the LORD is my strength!
If you want joy you must ask for it
If you want joy you must ask for it
If you want joy you must ask for it                                                        

CCLI Song #14569  License #144020
© 1971 Universal Music - Brentwood Benson Tunes; His Eye Music; The Joy Of The Lord Publishing

New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.