J, serving in a sensitive location
It’s the third Sunday of Advent, and by now we ought to know that Jesus is ‘the reason for the season’. But chances are, it’s still worth thinking through how we celebrate. Here’s a verse that is known very well in part: The joy of the LORD is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10).
However, the fuller version of verse 10 is a bit meatier and less well known:
Then [Nehemiah] said to [the people], “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
One important strand of the Bible’s teaching on joy is that true Christian joy can be found and sustained in any and every circumstance. The book of Philippians teaches us that.
Nehemiah teaches another strand. Joy is to be nurtured and can be fed on good food. Eat good things, drink good things, give good things to others – for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
One tendency some Christians have at Christmas is to feel guilty about the consumerism, stuff and expense that surrounds the holiday. We want a pure spiritual celebration, a celebration of the incarnation without any of that messy carnation stuff.
But as physical beings living in a physical world celebrating the God who became man, it is right to celebrate with physical gifts.
And for those of us flinching at the excess of Nehemiah 8:10 and preferring the truncated version – notice that Nehemiah’s instructions are rooted in the Law (Deuteronomy 14:22-26, and particularly note the purpose in v23!).
One tenth of a faithful Israelite’s income was to be devoted to celebration and worship of the LORD. Now, I know that opinions differ on if/how we tithe now compared to Old Testament Israel, and now isn’t the time or place to get into that.
But just notice our generous, joyful, gracious God who isn’t a party-pooper, but a party-thrower! If God commanded his people in Nehemiah’s day to celebrate properly and worship him for his provision, then how much more can we celebrate and worship, this side of the cross?
This Christmas, celebrate fully God’s ultimate provision that began in Bethlehem, 2,000 years ago. This Christmas, know that the joy of the LORD is your strength.