Calvary Joy

Nehemiah 8:10

New International Version

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.”

For meditation

Joy! The sound of it alone satisfies the soul. Is that not what you’ve been looking for—something that bubbles and sparkles more than champagne; that which does not go down the throat but wells up from within the heart and sets its recipient on high?

Maybe you have it already in Christ—bless your heart! But for those without it, may I suggest Christ Jesus to you today? It does not matter that you went to church yesterday. You may have come home dry but are still searching for the emotional expression of genuine happiness and contentment that lasts—the joy that does not depend on your circumstances. Look no farther than the giver of life itself, who is Christ Jesus (Jn. 5:21; 10:28; 17:2).

Hasn’t the world deceived you enough with the booze, drugs, and other things that have messed you up? How often have you experienced their highs, only to sink to the bottom of the valley of depression, enduring headaches and heartaches?

You deserve better, my friend. No one should endure the instability the world’s delight provides. You are worth something real and satisfying—something that removes your burden rather than compounds it.  

Do you know the source of this kind of joy? Have you heard of the man Jesus Christ, the only source of truth and life (Jn. 14:6)? He wants to give you this heavenly brand of joy that flows from the salvation He provides, “the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5-7). If only you take the challenge of John 3:16, you will have your first taste of this heavenly wine, the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), which delights the soul and refreshes the heart.

Like a released prisoner on death row, or the blind from birth seeing for the first time, may you experience the exhilaration that comes from Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior—the joy of the Lord!

Pray with Me

Lord, guide those yearning for genuine joy to make a spiritual journey to Mt. Calvary today. Let them understand that You, the Lamb of God, have already paid the ultimate price on the cross, sacrificing Your blood for our sins. Assure them, Lord, of the cleansing and healing power of your blood that will flush out their world-inflicted wounds and set them free. May your joy flood their souls and make them whole forever! Amen!

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