Why does your face look so sad? (Nehemiah 2:2)

Thankgiving is two days away.

The thoughts of the Thanksgiving Day coming reminded me of some numbers I came accross a while ago.

The numbers go to the question of "How happy are you, Americans (U.S.)?"

•  1/3 of the world population live (or tries to live) on $1 per day.
• The GDP of North Korea is $1,200 per year.
•  Of the 178 nations on the list, the Happiness Index of U.S. ranks No. 114 although the GDP of the U.S. ranks no. 1. Click here for Happiness  Planet Index.
• As far as HI is concerned, Costa Rica ranks No. 1, Dominica Republic No. 2, Jamaica No. 3, Guatemala No. 4, and Vietnam No. 5. Zimbabwe is at the bottom ranking No. 178.
•  HI of a nation is NOT co-relational with GDP.
•   The higher the GDP the more items you can afford. Average U.S. citizens have 719 items on the "wish list" [like Ipad, car, Nike shoes, etc.], whereas people of the nations whose HI rank from Ranking No. 1-30 maintain on average 67 items on the "Wish List".

These numbers indeed indicate that the sense of happiness is NOT co-relational with "MONEY".

What the king Artaxerxes said to Nehemiah supports the same conclusion. Obviously Nehemiah was well to do at least financially. His job seemed secure. Yet why was he sad? The heathen King asked and answered the question, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of your heart." 2:2 What was going on with Nehemiah? He himself answered to his fellow citizens: "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace." 2:17 [Read Neh 1:1-4 for the background.]

Jerusalem refers to the place where the Lord chooses to establish his presence, namely at the innermost sanctum of your heart. (1King 8:1; 2King 23:27; 24:20; Isaiah 3:8; Jeremiah 52:3; Luke 17:21; John 14:20) So where is your God [whom Nehemiah called "The God of heaven, great and awesome God?"]?

And what is the condition of the walls of your own Jerusalem? Are the gates intact, or broken down, burned with fire?

The good news is that just as Nehemiah stood up to get the Jerusalem rebuilt, so also you can stand up to get it rebuilt. And the work begins with each person responding to the words of our Lord Jesus saying, "The kingdom of God is near! Repent and believe the good news!" [Note: Jesus is the good news, the one who came to save sinners from their sins; he  is the one  who gives a believer a new birth into His kingdom.]