"BE QUIET!"

Nehemiah 8:9-12                      (ESV)
"9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your GOD; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.
10 Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is Holy to our LORD. And do not be grieved, FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH."
11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, ""BE QUIET", for this day is Holy; do not be grieved."
12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them."



Many times the pressures of "this world" can be magnified to cause us to believe that everything is crashing in on us.   The enemy wants us to believe that we are the ones in control and that we have our destiny within the limits of our abilities.  Many think that hard work and clean living will suffice to assure financial success.  But there are plenty of hard working, righteous people who don't experience financial gains that most consider being successful in today's greedy climate.  True JOY can only come through living for the LORD.

But today's scripture passage reminds "THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH", and we don't need to try finding JOY anywhere else!  With all of the busyness "this world" tries to bring into our lives, we are continually reminded that the only was to experience JOY is to "BE QUIET" before the LORD.  It is difficult, to say the least, to operate at the pace "this world" requires and still have the JOY only CHRIST can bring.

We should celebrate each day the LORD allows us to be a lighthouse for HIM, "for this day is Holy to our LORD"!  Deadlines, budgets, rules and regulations can be enforced by many entities, but when we remember to "BE QUIET" before the LORD we can rest in HIS promises, and HIS peace!  There is no substitute for resting in HIM and "BEING QUIET" before HIM.  You can be busy beyond your capabilities, but until you "BE QUIET", you will find it difficult to experience true JOY!