Transforming Joy
Then he said to them, "Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength ." (Nehemiah 8:10) The joy of the Lord is more than just your strength, though it is most certainly that as well. The joy of the Lord is likened to oil. (Isaiah 61:3) And what uses do we have for oil? Oil is used for lubrication. The joy of the Lord, gladness to be together, lubricates our relationships with each other and with God. It reduces and eliminates friction and thus prevents the resultant damaging heat. Oil is used to burn for light. The joy of the Lord brings light, both into our own minds and hearts and also to those around us. Oil is used as the ingredient that brings cohesiveness to our food, to hold things all together. We need the oil of joy to bind our hearts together into the unity of the Spirit of God. "By this all men will know that you ...