Happiest of Thanksgivings! ⋆ A Delightful Glow

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wanted to post a Thanksgiving post and so I did a little search on the words thanks and thanksgiving. This led me to a passage in Nehemiah. I was happy to be led to it, because we worked {mostly} through a Nehemiah Bible study earlier this year. I very much enjoyed digging into Nehemiah. We have one more week to finish in the study. It seems like life has a way of happening and so we still need to finish. I’m hoping to soon.

Nehemiah 12:27-43

Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem

At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres. The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites,from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people,the gates and the wall.

I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate. Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, as well as some priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph, and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani—with musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the teacher of the Law led the procession. At the Fountain Gate they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David’s palace to the Water Gate on the east.

The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of the wall, together with half the people—past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.

The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets—and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.

I wonder if the sound of America rejoicing and giving thanks can be heard far away?

I wonder if the sound of my rejoicing and my being grateful can be heard far away? I wonder if a thankful, grateful spirit can be seen in my life?

I love the picture of all the people following Nehemiah’s instructions and forming into their choirs of praise to sing songs of thanksgiving and praise and make music with their cymbals, harps, and lyres. They had worked hard on the wall of Jerusalem, despite the opposition, and there had to be such an air of jubilance, excitement, elation, and thanksgiving. God had provided and the wall of their city was whole again. Only by God’s care and keeping had this thing been done.

God has not changed. God still calls faithful men and women, like He called Nehemiah. My city might not have a wall that needs rebuilt, but my God is still working today. He still performs miracles and mighty deeds. He never quits or gets tired.

I’m so thankful.