The joy of the Lord is your strength!
James Cathcart
March 15, 2024
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Nehemiah 8: 8-12 (NRSVA)
8 So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ 11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, ‘Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.’ 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
MALCHIJAH: “I’m Manky Malkie by the way. Malchijah, Rechab’s boy, offa the Dung Gate. I have just been listening to Ezra, and Nehemiah and the law of the Lord with everybody else. Now I’m eating the fat, and drinking the sweet wine and doing up a wee parcel of the same for the other Malchijah, Harim’s son, as Hasshub says his back’s still playing up on him and he’s laid up for another week at least.
Don’t feel sorry for me about the nickname by the way, I love being Manky Malkie. Everybody loves a Manky Malkie. ‘Hey how’s it going Manky?’ they shout out the windows at me, and I say “Still ponging!” Or “Reeking a little less thanks!” They love it. I love it. I also love this scran, and all that I’m learning. Before the wall I never felt like I was particularly good at anything. But now I know I’m good at listening and I’m good at smiling.
I know I’m no great at building that’s for sure, the Dung Gate took pure ages. But Nehemiah says I listen like nobody else in the whole world. Which I thought was kind of weird at first. He said ‘You listen to me like I’m the only one talking.’ Which Is weird, because when I’m listening to him, I am listening to him so why would I be listening to anybody else? But he seemed to think it was a big deal. And others have said it too, like grumpy Hanun, he begrudgingly said I’m good at paying attention. Which is weird because when people talk I just listen, to make sure I don’t miss anything, nothing special. But Hanun says it is special because most people don’t listen, they just wait for their turn.
Smiling, that’s the other one. That’s not one anyone’s pointed out to me. It’s just something I noticed. I have started smiling a lot. Over the whole building project, I often didn’t know what to say, or what I was meant to do. So I just kinda smiled at people and started shuffling stuff around. I’d see someone else hanging at the edge, confused, anxious and I’d just smile, and every time I did something good happened. I guess I’m lucky that when I’m clueless, or overwhelmed, or worried my instinct is to smile.
Right this parcel’s no wrapping itself. See you later.”
Prayer:
Dear God,
Show us daily the strength that comes from joy
the power that comes from grace
the good that comes
from humility,
and the importance of belonging
with you and one another
Amen.
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