I love divine timing—when you run into people who make you smile in unexpected places. Or, when you just happen to run into people in common ground places at unexpected times. I was picking my daughter up at the dance studio for summer “drop in” classes and ran into a friend.  We chatted briefly and then, she told me that she was going to go on a walk while her daughter danced.  I felt like I needed to tell her about this awesome trail that I had just found out about 3 or 4 months ago.  It was just down the street from the studio, so I wanted my friend to know about it.

After I was home, I got a text from this friend saying “By the way, this walk is amazing. I feel so gypped that I haven’t know about this for so many years.”

I responded: ” So glad you went there…that’s totally how I felt when I found out about it a couple months ago—hidden gem!”

This is what friends are for. Revealing hidden gems to each other and encouraging one another to go seek them out.  This totally made me think of sharing our faith and relationship with God with others.  If we know about something so good—a “hidden gem”—we need to share that goodness with others.  We don’t want them to feel “gypped” about not knowing Jesus for so many years.  We want to tell others about this life transforming relationship so they can experience it and walk in it as well.

I truly am glad I shared this with my friend. And, now, in turn, I’m sure she will want to share this “hidden gem” with others as well.  My boldness in sharing it will hopefully cause her to want to tell others about it as well.  If we have something so good to share, we need to share it.  Good news is meant to be shared.

This morning in my Bible reading, I read from chapters 7 & 8 in the book of Nehemiah. After the wall had been rebuilt, Ezra the priest brought out the Book of the Law of Moses to read with all of the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem.  The people stood together, listened attentively, and worshiped the Lord from daybreak until noon.

Nehemiah declared that this was a time for celebration, eating, and drinking. He said, “This day is sacred to our Lord.  Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

The exiles had been weeping as they were listening to the words of Law perhaps because they were looking back on all that God had done or perhaps because they were being nostalgic about the “good old days” or maybe a mixture of both of these feelings.

Nehemiah wanted the people to be strong to face their new lives and their future in Jerusalem. He wanted them to stand tall and firm in their foundation.  Being reminded of how much God loved them, would be a catalyst for the exiles to keep moving forward in obedience.  This holy, unconditional love would cause the people  to put Jesus first; and to take action as a joyful outpouring of this love.

Being brave on the narrows—wherever that is that God is leading us—will require strength. Reflecting on God’s goodness, faithfulness, and lavish love for us, will give us the strength to celebrate, move forward, and continue to walk in obedience.

Who can you share the good news with today, my friends?   And, if you are reading this and don’t know about the “good news”, please ask me more about it.  I would be so happy to share it with you.

Be brave on the narrows, my friends; and remember that “the joy of the Lord is your strength” as you go through your day