Fields United Methodist Church

Day 28.  Take Time to Be Holy

April 30, 2020

“…this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

Read: Nehemiah 8:1-12.

So why was the day Nehemiah referred to “holy to our Lord?” Well, perhaps it had to do with that in their rejoicing there was a call to “send portions of [food] to those whom nothing is prepared.” The days of Nehemiah were hard; people were returning to a place that needed rebuilding, and to lives that needed rebuilding. Nehemiah led the people to rebuild but at the same time realized the people needed to be, called by God to be, generous to those who were hungry and challenged.  The “joy of the Lord” could well be responding to the call God has placed on each of us to serve the needs of those around us; sometimes those needs are tangible, other times they are emotional and spiritual. God is calling you, as Nehemiah called the people, to look around and not only see the needs of others but to “share a portion” of our faith by reaching out the hand of Christ to those in need. As our communities begin the long process of re-opening, many will return to something wholly different to what they left. Community life may have changed, church life may have a different feel; people will need to find the joy of the Lord in the witness of others who are on the same journey, and that will be their source of strength.  The joy of the Lord is not about being filled with giddy happiness but rather filled with the presence of God and the power of the Holy Spirit not only to accept strength from God but to use the strength we have been given to offer hope and assurance to others.  Every day is holy to our Lord, because every day there is offered the joy of the grace and presence of God that calls especially you to be a beacon of light to another on the same journey.  Your joy is far more contagious than any virus and is far more valuable than any precious stone, especially in times such as these.

How is the “joy of the Lord” impacting your life today? Impacting someone else today?

Where do you find your strength these days?

How are you taking time to be holy today?

Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for the joy you put in my soul. Help me to live my life in witnessing that joy to someone today. Amen