06/07/2009       

 

Class: Prov 30:15  "The leech has two daughters. `Give! Give!' they cry. "There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, `Enough!': 16. the grave,  the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, `Enough!' 17. "The eye that mocks a father, that scorns obedience to a mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.

 

Hymns #740 & 743

Scripture reading: #752

Vesper’s: a dialogue ‘How do the tracks of God’s Grace cut across the ruts of our lives?’

Wednesday: Prodigality, ‘loose’ women…and Jesus. (beginning with p. 199 – “Desire of the Everlasting Hills”)

 

 

a governor: “take joy for your strength” (Nehemiah - circa 445 bc)

 

Neh. 8.5. Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6. Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

 

7. The Levites--Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah--instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.

 

9. Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is sacred 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 sacred 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 sacred 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.

 

The Apostle Paul said that “22. …the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23. gentleness and self-control…” (Galatians 5, N.I.V.)

 

“…against such there is no law.” That’s how the 23rd verse ends. ‘Against such there is no law…’ It’s interesting that the Levites had just finished instructing the people in the Law of Moses, the people began to weep, and Nehemiah said, ‘enjoy life…make sure that those who have nothing are able to enjoy life too. This is a sacred day, don’t be sad for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’

 

The reading of the Law had evidently touched the people’s hearts with conviction. They saw how far short of being pleasing to God that they were.

 

We tend to think in terms of a great and distinct separation between Law and Grace. However, it appears that Nehemiah had an understanding of the Grace of God as he encouraged the people with those words…’this day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

 

He identified the holiness of the day directly with the pleasure of God being in the joy of the people. That’s a manifestation of Grace.

 

It is, as Paul said, a true indication of the presence of the Lord, the ‘fruit of the Spirit,’ that God’s people have joy! Read it again, “22.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23. gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5, N.I.V.)

 

The Law points out how far we fall short of the Glory of God. Take hope, His Grace is to take our recognition of our frailties, and our recognition of His acceptance of us, and give us strength for our days through joy.

 

Does He literally give us ‘joy for ashes?’ Or, is it…when we recognize our frailties and lift our hearts joyfully in hope of our salvation, that He gives us strength?

 

I think the literal essence of Nehemiah’s instruction is to ‘take joy’ and experience the strength to be found in the Grace, the holiness, the sacredness of God.

 

There is, however, a very simple and subtle effort involved in this application of God’s Grace in order to ‘take joy.’ The strengthening is implied to come when God’s children begin the very practical action of going to “enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared.”

 

That is immediately followed with, “This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

 

A great antidote for grief, sorrow, depression, malaise – is to take something, or do something, to meet someone’s real needs.

 

This is exactly what James wrote of when he said, “12.  Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13. because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

 

14. What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15. Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.

 

16. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17. In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2 N.I.V.)

 

This day is sacred to the Lord. Every day is sacred to the Lord! Every day is to be a day when we put deeds to our faith – and we will get joy from it…and that will be our strength.

 

“This day is a sacred day…” Take joy and God will give you strength.

 

The psalmist said, “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

 

“Give us this day our daily bread…” Take joy and God will give you strength.

 

“Today is the day of salvation…” Take joy and God will give you strength.

 

“Consider the lilies…” Take joy and God will give you strength.