Day of Praise

Wed, 01/30/19, "Day of Praise"

"Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'" - Nehemiah 8:10

Valentine's Day is in the offing just a couple weeks away. We think of it as a day of sweet and joyful sentiments, a day to celebrate love with spouses, children, parents, family, and friends. 

But what do we when there's a challenge to sweet and joyful sentiments, when there's grief or loneliness or sorrow? 

In today's verse, Nehemiah brings God's encouragement for times when joy is challenged by grief. In those times, God has a word for you, "The joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10)

It's one of those great verses to meditate on and say over and over again. "The joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10) "The joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10)

God promises that joy can heal grief like light can pierce darkness when we trust in the power of God's word.

Grief is real, as my wife and kids and mom and our family all know for various but all very real reasons. But the love and power of the God who spoke through Nehemiah is real too as he's the God who sent his son to die for us and our sin and who conquered grief, death, and the grave. 

So in the light of God's promise, hum, pray, say, sing, whatever works for you, this uplifting song by Chris Tomlin, "Our God!"

Water You turned into wine
Opened the eyes of the blind
There's no one like You
None like You

Into the darkness You shine
Out of the ashes we rise
There's no one like You
None like You

CHORUS 
Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome and power
Our God, Our God... 

Into the darkness you shine
Out of the ashes we Rise
There's no One like You
None like You.

Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome and power
Our God, Our God... 

And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?
And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?
What can stand against?

Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome and power
Our God, Our God... 

Praaaaaaaise God!