” ‘Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks . . . This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!’ . . . So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them.” (Nehemiah 8:10, 12 NLT)

The newly-returned exiles from Babylon had rebuilt the broken-down wall around the city of Jerusalem in a mere 52 days. As the people began to settle in, they needed to be reminded of their spiritual legacy. So Ezra the priest stood before the people on a platform in the city square and read aloud the Book of the Law as the Levites “clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage” (8:8). The effect was profound; the people were “weeping as they listened” (8:9).

What triggered the weeping? Perhaps as Ezra read God’s Word, the full realization of how far they had strayed from God and His laws weighed upon them. As they stood in the once-glorious city, they realized what their sin had wrought. Nehemiah and the other leaders comforted the weeping crowd. This was a sacred day because today they understood what God wanted. Yes, they had indeed strayed, but God was graciously giving them a new start.

Now standing inside the newly-rebuilt walls of their city, God, His promises, and their relationship to Him as His people all came together. God had brought them home. They had a huge task ahead to get their nation back on track. Depression and sorrow would not get the job done, but joy would. The joy of the Lord would give them strength. So Nehemiah sent them off to celebrate this new beginning.

What new beginning do you want from the Lord? Maybe, like the Hebrew people in that city square, you have experienced some failure in yourpast that causes you sorrow. Dig into God’s Word and ask Him to show you what you need to do. Don’t let depression or grieving over the past get in the way of God’s plans for you. Don’t let “wasted” time in “exile” affect what you can do now and in the future.

Want to move forward? The joy of the Lord is your strength.