THE WORD BRINGS BOTH SORROW AND JOY

THE WORD BRINGS BOTH SORROW AND JOY

Neh 8:5-6

5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:

6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Neh 8:8-10

8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

          The people were were made sorry by the reading of the Word of God! How often has that happened to us when the Bible plainly catches us in our sins? We stumble along life's highway thinking ourselves to be right when we are wrong. The Bible confronts our real condition and the result is that we are made sorry.

Acts 2:37

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

          As we continue to read we are made most glad when we learn that there is a remedy for our sins and that a substitute has taken our place. Our soul erupts in joy to learn that the blood of Jesus is able to cleans us from all sin.

Luke 2:10-11

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Dear Lord, let my sad heart rejoice because my sins which were many are now forgiven. AMEN