PRAISE!

"How do you tell the same story year after year and keep it fresh?"  Frequently asked about some of the annual significant "Holy days" (holidays), the answer is actually simple.  Every year we celebrate birthdays and anniversaries.  It is the same story, the same celebration, the same day.  Celebrating significant events never gets old, we look forward to it!

As we conclude this study on Nehemiah we observe that...


Serving God includes celebrating his great work.
Nehemiah 8:9-12, 12:27-31a


As the public ceremony we looked at last week went on it developed into an air of sadness and regret as the people realized the extent of the grief they caused God by ignoring God's ways.    

But it was a Holy Day and a day to rejoice and show gratitude.  The emphasis on the day's holiness was a motivation to change tears into triumph.  The joy that comes from God is directed back to him in celebration.

There is no distinction between service and celebration.  Work is ordained by God and presented by humanity as an offering to God, and act of worship in itself.  When God's people come together to honor God's work, they find common purpose and mission.

The celebration of Nehemiah and the people was rooted in the presence of God among his people.  When filled with pure motives the people were more easily aligned with God's plans and purposes.

We can live lives of joy because of Christ's work in us.  We have God's joy because the Holy Spirit sustains us.  A key part of serving God is celebrating his work with praise!