Go and enjoy the choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10
During the greatest grief of losing our dad and mom, my family was blessed with an almost limitless supply of what we called “God’s Chicken” (i.e. Chick-fil-A). The Cathy family, owners of Chick-fil-A, poured out choice food and good ole sweet tea in abundance during a time when we had nothing prepared and our hearts were full of grief. It truly blessed us as we didn’t have to think about what to feed the kids or whether food was even in the house. Every bite was a reminder that God sees us. He provided these blessings in His provision and to remind us that He will meet our every need. As our grief allowed us to see His mighty hand, we were reminded that the joy of the Lord is our strength. Our flesh was weak, but He was strong.
This is a great reminder today to look for someone who may need that blessing. We are not given blessings to hold tight to but to let them flow from us to others. I pray that when someone needs, “choice food” and good ole southern sweet tea, I am there to be used by Him or in any other way God directs me.
Lord, thank You for filling us with strength for today’s agenda. Replenish our joy in You that we may be filled with child-like faith, believing that Your word is true. Thank you for the power of the Holy Spirit that helps us overcome the obstacles in life.
