Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said to them, “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.”
The Jews were grieved because they had just heard the Law of God (The Torah) read to them. For some, this was the first time they had heard it. After discovering their sins of omission and commission, they were grieved.
You and I would be too if we had just discovered that we have been offending God - a lot! But Nehemiah's response was different. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord.
It isn't that Nehemiah is telling the people to go out, party and forget about it. He is telling them to celebrate because God has a plan and that they can, and will respond accordingly to His will. Rejoice, we're going to set this all straight!
When Jesus came over 2,000 years ago, He came to do one thing. Set it all straight. He came to reverse what Adam had done. He came to make and keep the promises of God for each and every one of us. Promises that none of us deserve, a salvation that we cannot earn.
Why do we celebrate at Christmas, even though we don't have the right to? Because the joy we gain from knowing that we have committed our lives to Christ and that He has committed His love to us is our greatest source of strength.
PRAY: Dear Jesus, Thank you for coming to set things straight for my life. AMEN
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