Do more of this

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Selfcare”

Our Bible verse for today: “Do not grieve, because the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Do more of this”

In Nehemiah 8:10, when Ezra and Nehemiah told the people “Do not grieve, because the joy of the Lord is your strength,” they were not telling them that they shouldn’t experience normal heartache and regret over things that should cause heartache and regret. Instead, they were cautioning them not to allow themselves to sink down into despair and get mired in it.

The implication in this verse is that they were to be intentional about shifting their focus onto the things they had to be grateful for and which the Lord had given them to be joyful about. If they would do that, they would feel renewed and restored in spirit; they would experience a resurgence of strength and vitality; they would discover that the joy given to them by the Lord is indeed their source of strength.

It’s true. Think about it. Isn’t it true that when your heart is overflowing with joy that is when you feel most alive? Isn’t life at its best when you are filled with joy? Of course it is. And that’s what God wants for you. In John 15:11 Jesus said, “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” In John 17:13, on the night before He was to be crucified, as one of His last acts on earth, Jesus prayed for us and He said to the Father, “Now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy completed in them.”

Joy is a gift from God. It is beautiful and powerful and Jesus wants you to have a lot of it because when you are joyful you are fully alive, and at your best, and you are strong in the Lord.

I have written before about one of my guiding life principles which I think about, pray about, and even meditate on almost on daily: “Reject that which drains you; embrace that which gives life.” That precept guides my thinking and my choices. I still have to deal with unpleasant people and unpleasant situations, but I’m intentional about minimizing negative influences and maximizing the people and things that fill me with joy.

Church is one of those things. Sunday is the best day of the week because that’s when my church family is gathered for worship and fellowship. It’s a day of spiritual nurture, healing, encouragement, singing, feasting, laughing, and fun. Tomorrow, August 17^th, after Sunday school and worship, we’re even having a Hawaiian Luau complete with food, music, games, and lots of fun. Join us at 9:00 for Sunday school, 10:00 for worship, and 11:00 for the Luau.

The joy of the Lord is your strength and you, like the rest of us, need more of it. Do more of this: be intentional about embracing the joy God wants you to have.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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