Years ago a close friend gave me a plaque with this inscription: The joy of the Lord shall be your strength.

The words come from a passage found in the Old Testament. About 100 years after their lengthy exile in Babylonia, the Israelites returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt their temple. Under the guidance of Nehemiah, they also rebuilt the walls around their city. 

Then, on the first day of the seventh month, they observed what today is known as Rosh Hashanah, or the Jewish New Year. The law required the people to have a day of rest, hold a sacred assembly, and present a food offering to the Lord (Leviticus 23:23-25).

The Israelites gathered together to listen as Ezra read to them from the book of the law (the Torah). As the people listened to the reading of Scripture, they praised God, but they also wept (Nehemiah 8:6-9). I imagine their tears welled up for a number of reasons:

Tears of Remorse: They may have been convicted over their sin and the ways they had not obeyed God’s law.

Tears of Loss: Any reading of the Old Testament would include some of the history of the Israelites ~ reminders of times when, as the chosen people of God, they had experienced military success and abundant blessings. During their exile, they lost everything. Even after returning to Jerusalem, they had regained only a portion of what they had lost.

Tears of Joy: Even amidst their loss, the Israelites would have reasons to feel joy ~ God had brought them back to Jerusalem, provided a place for them to worship, and restored His relationship with them. 

I’ve thought of this passage this year as we celebrate Christmas. The holiday season carries an expectation of joy. And in many ways it can be. But it can also be one of tears. We can shed tears of regret for what we did, or failed to do. We may grieve the loss of friends or family members. Or we simply miss those who are not able to join us this year for the holidays. We, or someone we know, may be facing a health crisis. Any number of hardships can threaten our happiness and sense of well-being.

So where do we find joy during this season, even when we experience sadness? The answer is found in these words from Nehemiah:

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10 NIV emphasis added)

In the midst of their weeping, Nehemiah encourages the people to enjoy the food prepared for their sacred day. How could they do this when their hearts undoubtedly also carried sadness? Interestingly, it isn’t their joy, but the joy of the Lord which would give them the strength to enjoy the day, regardless of their circumstances. What is the joy of the Lord?

Jesus described it this way:

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:9-11 NIV)

Jesus shared these words with His disciples as He prepared to go to the cross. He reminded them to remain in His love by obeying His commands. But please note, it isn’t our obedience which causes Him to love us. We don’t step into His love when we obey, and out of it when we don’t. But we show God our love for Him through our obedience. Remaining in His love means staying connected to Him (John 15:1-8). We do this through Bible study and prayer. Those who remain in His love faithfully obey what He asks of them.

And when we live in obedience to His will, we receive His joy. Jesus modeled this joy through His own obedience to God. “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2b NIV emphasis added). This then is where we find true joy: nestled in our obedience to God’s will for us. 

Holidays can be a mixed bag of emotions. But whatever we face this season, I pray we can find our strength in the joy of the Lord. This joy can be ours, no matter our circumstances, by faithfully following the One who leads us home.