The Joy of the Lord

So, here's the thing, today, well, the past few days, okay, let's be really honest, the past 8 weeks or so - have been really rough. It is starting to wear this woman down. I am feeling beat up emotionally, physically, health-wise, pregnancy-wise, mama-wise, wifey-wise... I would give a big toe to go escape to a plush hotel room for a few days, especially if the cleaning/organizing fairies visited my house while I was away! I do have a feeling the big toe exchange would not feel worth it upon my return and resultant need of said big toe. Alas, I digress... (see, I'm not just worn, I'm going crazy!) :)

Amidst all of this though, somehow I'm finding the strength to turn to The Word each night before I fall asleep - sometimes as I fall asleep, I won't lie! Inspired by a Sunday school lesson I taught last week to Soph's class, I've been reading the book of Nehemiah. The story in Chapter 8 is about how Nehemiah, who was acting as Governor of Jerusalem, had Ezra, one of the priests, read from the Book of the Law of Moses (the Bible) for all the people to hear. As the people heard the Law being read they were saddened and started weeping and were mournful over their sin. The end of this story really struck me. Ezra tells the people,

"This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (bold is my addition)

Did you get that??? The JOY of the Lord is your (my!) strength. At first Ezra's instructions seemed so odd to me; I mean, these people were grieved over their sin, wasn't that the right and good response? I guess to me it seems that God wanted them to learn that His Joy (NOT their sorrow) would be their strength, and the joy comes from what? All I can figure is that God had chosen these people and loved them and forgave their sins... and that should produce joy! Sound familiar? It does to me! I am also chosen and loved and forgiven by God. I can choose to wallow in the difficulties of life and the resultant sin they produce in my life (I tend to struggle a lot with patience and having a quiet, joyful spirit when I'm super stressed and worn down) and be grieved and mournful, or I can embrace the JOY of the LORD and let it work in my life to produce a joyful spirit that will, in turn, produce good fruit for my day!

So, today I am trying to make a choice, a good choice, to meditate on the JOY of the LORD and let it strengthen me. I just keep saying, over and over in my head, "The Joy of the Lord is my strength, the Joy of the Lord is my strength." And you know what? It is!!!!