Welcome to today’s Daily Scripture Reading and Meditation covering Nehemiah 8:9-10 where we discover and learn of a call to godly partying.

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.  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.”

God is all about His people rejoicing, given that they rejoice in the right thing.  This was a great day for the Israelite assembly who, after a season of exile and following the completion of a tremendous building project of the city walls, heard the Scriptures read by Ezra.  Doubtless they were filled with emotion, having worked intensely while maintaining a high level of vigilance over the course of nearly two months.  Outside groups felt threatened by their activities and let them know it in no uncertain terms.  But God saw them through.  Wearied and previously unable to take much time for reflection, they stood before the Lord with their heads bowed in worship and began to weep, feeling the weight of pressures and fears begin to slide off them while also recognizing that they fell far short of God’s righteousness as revealed by His law.  Perhaps you’ve been in a similar emotionally full and confused place.

Ezra knew the remedy for the people, the way in which they could most glorify God in that day: have a party.  “Really?!,” we conservatives might exclaim?  Is that word part of the Christianese language?  Apparently it is when rightly defined.  Paraphrased, we hear Ezra say, “Eat and drink the best stuff out there, sharing with one another so that everyone can be a part!”  Then we get to the why, the reason for the partying: this is God’s day and He is the motive for your exulting.  Given all that God’s people were feeling in that day (weariness, relief, pain over sin, etc.), Ezra wanted them to know that with these troubled but repentant hearts, it was now time to find their strength in the Lord.  God loves to heal such broken hearts and infuse them with His joy-filled might.  What is important to notice here is that there is an order to things: humble brokenness before the Lord followed by rejoicing.  We see great distortions of this happening in episodes like the one of the Israelites whining to Aaron in the wilderness and then immorally reveling in worship to the golden calf he put together.  The elements of sadness and partying were there, but with hearts of rebellion against the Lord instead of submission to Him.

Though such a picture may seem fairly extreme in nature, we should ask ourselves if the correct elements are present and in order in our lives as we look for fulfillment.  When we are down, what is the nature of our lowly state?  When we are up, where is our joy and strength springing from?  God is calling Christ followers to be a people in continual, conscious, proper relation to Him, the Reason and most excellent Cause for any great party.  If you know Jesus, let wondrous joy in Him be your strength today.

Read More or Listen at Daily Jesus.