NEHEMIAH and the art of MICKEY MOUSE FACE

A buddy of mine just did a teaching at a chapel service here at my church. He spoke about NEHEMIAH and the need for us as followers of Christ to have Joy "expressively" pouring out of our pores. Needless to say I blew off that teaching (just kidding Jared). Actually, it brought me to start a study on NEHEMIAH. 2 particular scriptures pop at me.

Chapter 2 vs 1. Nehemiah writes "NOW I HAD NEVER BEEN SAD IN HIS PRESENCE BEFORE". Now Nehemiah was the kings cup bearer. 

Job description: Looking for a bright young man, who is young, cheerful, has good listening skills, gives good council, and is available night and day at the kings request....OH, and must taste all the wine before the king does in case it's poisoned, in which case you would die. All applicants please pick up application at Human resources of King Artaxerxes palace.

Even more, I find it amazing that the king took notice. See Nehemiah was grieving the outbreaks in Jerusalem. These had been happening for some time, yet he says he was NEVER sad in the presence of the king. You could argue it was because of a lavish lifestyle (being the cup bearer had it's privileges) you could argue for a time he was glib (thank you tom cruise). But I tend to believe it's because he was in the presence of the king constantly. I tend to think because his job description meant that he lived to possibly die one day for the safety of the king, this brought him joy. There may have even been a time where he saw what was happening in Jerusalem, and his desire to go to rebuild the wall, that he had to put on his mickey mouse face until he could bear it no more. I used to be a waiter (and a darn good one at that) and I used to have a  manager say "I don't care what your going through, every table better feel like they are @ Disney world, so get your mickey mouse faces on". 

Sometimes we need to be strong and rely on God to give us the strength. Though our world may be crumbling we must never forget we are in the PRESENCE OF THE KING. One way Nehemiah did this (chapter 9) was reassure and remind HIMSELF the goodness of God during times of prayer and fasting. 

Sometimes we need to grin through something until we cannot bear it any longer, to show the KING the desires of our hearts.