The words of Nehemiah are so very true: “for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” In these difficult times, there are many sad things that can become a source of grieving and discouragement. And if we are caught by them, they will rob us of our strength.

To avoid this, we must have our eyes fixed on Jesus, and while doing so, take careful notice of the great joy that is His! And why does the Lord have such joy despite all the evils there are on this earth? Because all the promises of God will soon come to pass, and all His eternal counsels will be fulfilled. Nothing will hinder what He has determined. What He said would happen will happen. This includes the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to take us, His Church, with Him; His appearing to the whole world to bring judgment on the wicked and His enemies, and deliver His persecuted people; the setting up of His world dominion where righteousness will reign; and the destruction of the present heaven and earth to create a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness will dwell, and where God Himself will dwell with men. Knowing all these things will assuredly happen, nothing affects the Lord’s joy.

Knowing these things and seeing the Lord’s joy, is there something missing to strengthen us and fill our own hearts with joy, despite the circumstances and the hurts we may go through? If our eyes are on things below, or on ourselves, we will lament and lose heart, just like the Israelites who realized they had not been living according to the law (Neh. 8:9). But if we look to Jesus, if we see the Lord’s joy and hold fast by faith the precious and blessed truth and promises God gave in His Word, we too will be filled with the Lord’s joy. The joy we see in the Lord gives us assurance and strength to go on faithfully for Him—for yet a little time—as we await the assembling shout to be with Him forever!