“This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)
Nehemiah was a governor of the province of Judah around 500 B.C. He obtained permission from the king of Persia, to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, after the Jewish people were exiled from their nation, for seventy years. Though they didn’t get their whole nation back, they were given limited access to the city of Jerusalem, where they could once again go to pray and worship. It was a great start after living in exile for so long.
Nehemiah’s advice was to celebrate what they have been given and rejoice in the present moment, instead of dwelling on what was still lacking. They had Jerusalem, and it was reason enough to rejoice. Nehemiah told the people to eat, drink and celebrate, encouraging them to have gratitude and embrace the present moment.
God gave us the book of Nehemiah for a reason. He might want us to take Nehemiah’s perspective in our times of hardship. When we grieve over something that was taken from us, as the Israelites grieved while in exile, we are encouraged to rejoice in having Jerusalem back.
Nehemiah knew it was important to dwell on what they presently had access to, instead of what they didn’t. The good news of having Jerusalem again meant access to pray and worship in their holy temple area. There may be a message in this story for every believer, by asking ourselves, what is my Jerusalem, or what can I show gratitude for, here and now?
When we are going through a loss, or our loved one is in a trial, facing an illness or injury, whether physical, mental or emotional, Nehemiah would tell us to embrace the present moment and find our Jerusalem and be grateful for it.
When we become anxious over what is lost, instead of what is present, all of our energy is focused on what must be regained, while we may be missing out on human connections here and now. It’s easy to label any setback as a step back, but I learned as a caregiver for my husband and in visiting my son in a Nursing facility, to stop judging their progress. Once I put aside my expectations and focused on the human connection, I learned that the bond of love is to be shared here and now.
Lately, the staff and residents at the Nursing home are asking me if Jon’s new behavior of obsessively cleaning off tables and throwing out trash, is how he always was. I answer ‘No, but it’s how he is now.’
I have stopped expecting Jon to be exactly who he used to be, and I am learning to embrace who he is today.
If we asked ourselves, what if we knew that today was our last day with a loved one, how would it change our expectations of them. We probably wouldn’t care about what they lost, what they no longer do or what they need to regain. We would simply appreciate them for who they are today and let them know we are here for them. The joy of the Lord is all about embracing the present and Nehemiah knew that joy is what strengthens our spirit.
Jon reacts different each day to a display of affection. One day he smiles and on another day, he will resist any touch or a potential hug. It taught me not to compare a step forward yesterday to a step back today, but to accept who he is in the present. He may never express or receive affection as in the past, but he expresses it in his own way today.
If we metaphorically compare our situation to Nehemiah and the Israelites, we acknowledge that we may not have the entire nation, but we can find joy in having Jerusalem. Instead of grieving over what has been lost due to illness, injury or any life situation, we find joy in accepting a person as they are, and that becomes our Jerusalem. Then we will discover the joy that brings them comfort and gives us strength.
Lord, help us to cherish the present despite the many backward and forward steps, and give us the wisdom to see that it’s all about embracing the present and finding the joy of the Lord, which is our strength. Amen
