A Life Filled with Joy

Scripture:

Nehemiah 2:1  "In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of king Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king.  I had not been sad in his presence before".

Observation:

Nehemiah was a cup-bearer to King Artaxerxes.   He was serving a pagan king as a servant from a country conquered by their nation.  They had been taken away from their homes and brought to a new land, yet Nehemiah says, "I had not been sad in his presence before".  Apparently, Nehemiah had a great attitude about life.  He always had a smile and was a very positive person.  His boss had never seen him sad before, yet his boss had exiled him and his family from their homes.

Application:

Joy and sadness are not to be determined by our surroundings.  If Nehemiah could walk through all he did and never looked sad, then we should be the same.  As a believer, we should be people of great joy because of what Christ has done for us.  Most of us struggle with sadness because things don't go like we want them to and it is apparent on our faces.  God wants his people to walk in joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Prayer:

Father, earlier in my life, joy was what I was known for most.  Help me get my joy back.  Life has sucked the joy out of me.  I want to have the great attitude of Nehemiah.  I want to be known as a person of great joy.

Yours,

Jeff