In Spite of It All

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drink, 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.” – Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)

How can anyone truly define “real joy?” Think about this! After her bout with a triple by-pass surgical operation and recuperation, Rosetta (my wife’s sister) said,

“you’ll never know what it (unspeakable joy) is like until you’ve had (an) experience(s), but let me tell you one thing for certain; I know what trusting God is all about. Even in the worst of times -in spite of it all-God-in-Christ can be counted on. I can count the number of times when I’ve been prepped for major surgery, had to under go the surgeon’s knife, awakened some time later with my body full of pain, and for a moment I almost forgotten how to pray. What happened? God showed up because He knew about my condition! It was a decade ago when I had to have my skull opened up because of a brain aneurysm (a bulging weak area in the wall artery that supplies blood to the brain)! I was in bad shape! I looked at myself in the mirror and just cried and cried; my hair was all gone, and I had lost a great deal of weight. I was forewarned that I would run the risk of not being able to neither walk nor talk again, but afterwards (after the brain surgery) I literally traveled across the globe; taught children in the California School System, retired, and had a ball. Well, I had the heart surgery and came out on top again because God loves me and I know it. Do you remember that old song that goes like this: ‘I have the joy, joy, joy down in my heart (where?) Down in my heart! Down in my heart to stay?’ Yes, that’s the one.”

The Rev. Johnny Boyd, a retired United Methodist Pastor, spoke with me just a few days ago while I was in High Point, NC. We chatted about the conditions in our world including the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, battle-ridden Libya, rising gas prices in the United States, and host of other things. He pointed out that at any time a severe earthquake could hit (again) the West Coast (California) and destroy thousands of people. But we go on like every thing is “hunk-a-dory.” “We’d better repent and turn to God–before it’s too late,” he said.

Rev. Boyd told me that since his wife passed a few years ago, he has been alone and wept with tears many a night. He said that he fell and broke his hip and couldn’t walk without crutches for a long time. “But do you know” (he emphatically said) “that I threw away those crutches this past February and I’m walking on my own! You talk about being happy! Man, it felt good.”

“Real joy,” how can it be truly defined? It wouldn’t be hard to guess what Linda Y would say about going through chemotherapy time and time again. She would quickly tell you the results of praising God – in spite of it all. With a grateful heart and tears in her eyes, she’d say, I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, My God, my rock in whom I take refuge. (Psalm 18:1,2)

There is much to be learned about the meaning of experiencing “real joy” from Jeremiah 8:10: Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drink, 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.”

In order to break this verse down contextually, the Old Testament lesson points out that the Israelites had settled in their town after being in exile from their homeland. Nehemiah, the governor and Ezra the religious leader, assembled the people to hear the Mosaic Book of the Law, which the Lord had given for Israel to obey. Well, the people wept openly when they heard God’s laws and realized how far they were from obeying them. But Ezra told them that they should be filled with joy because the day was a sacred celebration and not be looked at as being self-centered. Ezra connected celebration with giving. This act gave those in need an opportunity to celebrate as well. The underlying message here too is that often when we celebrate and give to others (even when we don’t feel like it); we are strengthened spiritually and filled with “real joy.” Entering into celebrations that honors God and allowing Him to fill you with His joy is that “real joy.” As a confirmation, look at Nehemiah 8:12, which says: So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them. Clearly I see this as what happens when one joyfully listens to God’s voice and understandingly responds to it. Selah