Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off. Nehemiah 12: 43

There are times of great rejoicing and excitement. People will raise a great joy of rejoicing sounds when their favorite football team wins a major game. The sound of it can sometimes be heard for a a mile or more away. Everyone wants to let everyone else know of their excitement and joy as to what had happened.

As the rebuilding of the temple was finished, the priests offered many sacrifices, and everyone rejoiced with such great joy in Jerusalem that it could be heard a long way off.

When people are excited about something, they want everyone to know about it. They are not ashamed at being loud with their excitement and joy. People will do many crazy things in all of their excitement without fear of what others may think or say about it.

Believers have many things that they can get excited about. The beginning excitement is when one chooses to repent and believe in Jesus having his sins removed. This is the beginning of a new life that will last for eternity.

Often many believers are rejoicing, but quietly to themselves. No one around them can hear or see their joy and excitement. This is often due to fear of being an embarrassment or from fear of offending someone. It turns the focus away from what God has done to one’s own self.

At the moment God does something in one’s life, believers need to rejoice and rejoice loudly. They need to let the world know what God has done and is doing.

There are probably many times in which you were very excited about something that happened in your life or in the life of some friend or family member. Or you were excited about something that occurred outside of your life but with someone or something you cared about.

What was your excitement level? How did it show to the world?

Now stop and think about what God has done in your life. God is always moving and doing things. Open your eyes to see it, then rejoice at what He has done. Let the world see your joy and excitement in serving God.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will see what God is doing in your life; that you will be excited at what God is doing; that you will let the world know what God is doing; and that you will not be ashamed of your joy in the Lord.