Then he said to them, “Go, eat the festival foods, drink the sweet drinks, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your refuge.”
We celebrate in many ways during the holiday season. We buy gifts and put up decorations, throw parties and eat great food. This verse in Nehemiah came after hearing the law given in a way the people could all understand. God’s Word had been made accessible to them—this was an occasion to celebrate! Instead of being overcome with grief and shame that they wouldn’t measure up, they were reminded to hold onto the joy in the Lord and celebrate that He had made His Word known to them.
We can easily forget the great gifts we have in Christ. We can quickly move on from Christmas and forget the impact it has on our everyday lives. Jesus’s arrival was an occasion to celebrate and something that changes how we live every day after. We can rejoice and celebrate each day because God’s Word has also been made known to us. And on a deeper level than what the Israelites experienced, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14)!
God doesn’t just want us to hear His Word but to truly listen and be changed by it. That is why the joy of the Lord is our refuge. If we were only to hear the standard of God without the intercession of God, we would listen to God’s standards and grieve. But because of His redemptive work through Christ, we can hear God’s Word and rejoice. He is with us and changing us to make us like Him. This Christmas, you have been reminded Jesus made a relationship with God accessible to you through Jesus. Now, it is time to cling to the joy of the Lord as your refuge to be changed by Him and to draw closer to Him in the year to come.
- What are some ways the reality of Christmas can change our daily lives in the days and months after Christmas?
- How does it feel to know God has made Himself accessible to you through Jesus? How can you take hold of that gift?
- Pray and thank God for His joy and the way He has been made known to us.
