Nehemiah's new work: Maintenance!

Continuing my study of Nehemiah, we learned that he finished the physical labor of building the wall around Jerusalem.  But wait, there's more!

Once his work was done, there was the work of maintaining what he had built.

Isn't that just like our lives?  We think we have "arrived" in some area, finished a task, only to find that it isn't really over.  And though the building process is difficult and wrought with challenges, maintenance brings its own set of issues.

We cannot rest on our laurels, as tempting as it may be.  There is always some more work to do.  

In chapter 8, we read that Ezra read God's Word to God's people.  There was much rejoicing and worshiping.  However, there was also weeping and grieving.

It does not say why the Jews were weeping, just that they did so while hearing God's Word read aloud to them.

"For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law." Nehemiah 8:9

My guess is that they were convicted by the Word they heard.  The Word of God has the power to convict us of our sins.  That may be why many choose to never read it!  

It could be that they cried tears of relief - the wall was built and now they were free to worship God and maybe relax a bit from their efforts.  

Ezra and the Levites (priests) interpreted the Word to the people so that they understood its meaning. They encouraged them to not weep or grieve, but instead to go on and eat, drink, and celebrate with great joy, since they now understood the Word being read to them.

This, too, can be our experience when hearing God's Word read to us.  We may feel conviction for our sins, but then, because of Christ's great sacrifice that allows us access to God because all of our sins have been atoned for on the cross, we can celebrate!  First the tears, then the joy.

Nehemiah says to the crowd, in one of his famous, oft-quotes lines: 

"Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (verse 10)

How beautiful is that?  Personally, I have experienced the Lord's awesome joy in my own life and heart during some of the most difficult, grieving times.  It makes no sense, this deep, abiding joy of the Lord that we feel during times of crisis or mourning, but it is real nonetheless.  Not to be confused with "happiness," the Lord's joy runs much deeper than that and has nothing to do with our circumstances.  

The other part of God's maintenance plan for the Jews was that the Word was read to them every day.  This is so important in our lives.  Just like when we "go off" our diet, or skip exercise for a day or more, our bodies and our moods reflect that.  Life is constant maintenance!  When we neglect it, we pay the price in one way or another.

So whatever work the Lord has given you, once it's "over," it is not really over!  Don't forget to maintain it all through prayer, listening to God's Word, and letting Him convict you of any sin that needs repenting.  I say listening to God's Word because I think there is something very powerful about hearing it spoken out loud.  

Reading the Word is crucial, and we must continue our "maintenance" in that.  But it can help tremendously to also listen to it - and not just once a week in church.  There are scads of resources available for us to listen to the Bible.  

I have also found much revelation in the writing of the Word.  Grab a journal, or any piece of paper, and next time you read a little or a lot of Scripture, copy it down word for word, even if it's just a verse or two.  There is something about writing it out that is very powerful, cleansing, and healing.

And remember that the joy of the Lord is your strength!