Original: September 11, 2007
Joy is experienced when a man puts down the gadgets of life and picks up a ruthless trust in his King. Joy is a man’s strength. Joy is the product of faith.
McMinnville, OR
10 Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10
12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:12-13
I recently confessed my fears for an upcoming wilderness mule deer hunt. My 6,000 cubic inch Mystery Ranch pack is filled for every contingency I can think of-heat, cold, rain, snow, wind, hunger, thirst, food, shooting, processing game, and even nice weather. Planning for every contingency simply means being prepared for any known or anticipated event that may come my way. Trekking through the wilderness can definitely be a mystery at times-unknown terrain, wildlife, and weather. The mystery of the wilderness is both a source of anxiety and great joy. I can’t wait to get the first year of hunting in the Strawberry Wilderness behind me so that fear and anxiety will be replaced by joy and anticipation.
When I read our passage for today in Nehemiah 8:10 my mind flashed to Philippians 4:12-13, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
Did you catch that?
Did you know that Paul lived traveling in the wilderness as he planted churches around the Mediterranean Sea? He could not stop in a Motel 6 or Super 8 and rent a room. His strength came from knowing that God would protect him along the way regardless of the danger or the unfamiliarity of the terrain. Paul learned to trust his God.
With all of the gadgets, technology and instant gratification modern man struggles with trusted in God to be his source of strength and joy. How many men do you know that will even step into the wilderness without their GPS, cell phone, or gun (s)? I know a lot of men that will not even step out the front door without these things!
The contentment Paul mentions in Philippians 4:12-13 is similar to Nehemiah’s joy in 8:10. The essence of joy is inner peace or contentment regardless of the circumstances or danger surrounding us.
Think a second about the “joy of the Lord.” What is joy and where does it come from? Joy is a supernatural impartation of inner peace that fills the godly man with a sense of contentment. It is that confidence that gives a man inner strength to face the day regardless of the terrain.
