The Joy of the Lord Is Your Strength

Do you face the impossible today? Is there some task, person, or thing that is threatening to overtake you? Are you afraid--of that situation or your reaction to it? Here's how you can find overcoming strength . . . .

Nehemiah faced a daunting task--to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. 

1. He had to convince the king for whom he was cup bearer to give him a leave of absence, safe passage, and enough timber to build the wall (as well as beams for the gates of the palace and for the house that he would live in).
2. He had no building team--it had to be assembled. 
3. He couldn't just go to Lowe's or Home Depot to get his materials. They had to be brought in from the king's forest.
4. He faced opposition from difficult men who challenged him at every turn.

Yet, despite all of these difficulties, Nehemiah finished the wall in fifty-two days. How did he do it?

1. He trusted God to give him favor in the sight of Artaxerxes (the king for whom he was cup bearer) which resulted in his leave of absence, safe passage, and timber.
2. He conveyed his vision for the wall to the religious leaders in Jerusalem who helped him accomplish his God-given mission.
3. He overcame his enemies by keeping his eyes on his mission and letting God deal with them (Nehemiah 4:14).

And when his job was complete, Nehemiah spoke to the people of Israel:

"Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, 

and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared;

for this day is holy unto our Lord.

Neither be ye grieved;

for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

~ Nehemiah 8:10

So as you face the impossible today, keep these things in mind:  

1. Trust God to give you strength to do the work He's called you to do
2. Keep your eyes on the mission He has given you
3. Enlist others to help you
4. Do not let others keep you from doing the will of God
5. Rejoice when the work is done. 

The joy of the LORD is your strength.

A String of Selah Pearls - Psalm 68:19

Positioned gracefully across the Book of Psalms is a string of seventy-one pearls, lovely beads of wisdom followed by the admonition SELAH which means, “Pause, think on these things, meditate.”

Psalm 68:19 “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.  Selah.”

Meditation

He’s Lord!  He’s God!  Our Savior!  Our Burden Bearer? 

Think of it!  This is God with a capital “G” stooping to do menial tasks.  He gives us each day our daily bread and then helps us carry out the trash.

This is God with a capital “G” serving the very ones who ate forbidden fruit, killed their brothers, stole from each other, lied about it, coveted everything within sight, crucified his only Son and mocked his memory, stoned the prophets, cut others in two.  You name it; man has done it; and God has forgiven it.

Praise be to this God!  We don’t understand this kind of grace.  Perhaps in glory, when we have put aside childish things, when we know even as we are known . . . .  Until then, we look through a glass darkly, we walk in shadows, we stumble and fall.  And through the haze, a strong hand grips our frail ones and gently leads us along.

SELAH

Look up: Matthew 6:11; 11:28-30; Psalm 8:3-4; 78:52; 113:6; Hebrews 11:37; I Corinthians 13:11-12