The joy of the Lord is my strength. I love this verse. A group of traumatized people have returned to their ruined city. They've just listened to someone read out the law of God, a law they have not been following. They are devastated. Probably really scared. More than a little worried. And Ezra tells … Continue reading Nehemiah 7-9
Tag: joy
Ezra 1-3
I have two things to say. First, they built the altar before they even started on the foundations of the temple. They had their priorities. They immediately, upon returning to the city from exile, rebuilt the altar so they could practice the sacrifices God required. The altar wasn't seen as the crowning glory of the … Continue reading Ezra 1-3
Proverbs 13-15
"The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy." I kind of skidded to a halt on this verse. My mind goes two ways with that first half. The heart knows its own bitterness, whether you deny it or not. How often do we try to lie to ourselves? Rather than actually … Continue reading Proverbs 13-15
Pieces of the Mosaic 