Sometimes You Just Have to Party!
Reading: Nehemiah 8.1-12 NRSV
While the Bible is full of sermons and suggestions for how worship should take place, it is pretty rare to find a picture of how worship actually takes place. Nehemiah, despite a miraculous re-building campaign, meets a congregation in tears. But in holding forth that great line: (v. 11) ‘the joy of the Lord is your strength,’ well, “the people dry their eyes, blow their noses and head home to celebrate with their choice meats and sweet drinks – and they didn’t forget to include those who couldn’t make it.” Sometimes you just have to party.
