Category: Nehemiah

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 12:40-47 (day six)

²⁷ For the dedication of the new wall of Jerusalem, the Levites throughout the land were asked to come to Jerusalem to assist in the ceremonies. They were to take part in the joyous occasion with their songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps, and lyres. Nehemiah 12:7

Paul writes in Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Singing is not ornamental to the Christian life; it is essential. When God’s people sing, we engage our whole being- body, mind, and heart- in response to His mighty works. Singing shapes what we feel and believe, stirring our affections and embodying our theology in real time and space.

The Benedictine monks understood this well: they sang the Psalms seven times a day, all 150 every week. Singing was the nervous system of their life together, giving order and priority to everything else they did.

In our age of “me and Jesus” spirituality, singing together loudly proclaims otherwise. Satan does not want us to sing because joyful, embodied singing changes us. It reshapes our priorities, deepens our joy, and bears witness to the real story of God.

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 12:40-47 (day five)

This is one of my favorite pictures of worship found in the scriptures. It shows the complexity and completeness of worship. There is preparation. There is precision. There is order. There is energy. There is joy. There is awe. In their dedication to God, the people see God at work- in the secular (building a wall) and in the sacred (God’s guidance and provision). They are reminded of and find the deeper meaning and appreciation for the purpose and character of God- restoration and reconciliation. Jerusalem is beginning to become the city of God again – not just in the geography, but in the people. Hearts are stirred. God is glorified. There is a beautiful balance between the “moment” and the “mission”, as the people are committed to singing, shouting, praising, and serving. May our worship cause us to both sing with joy and serve with passion!!

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 12:40-47 (day four)

Did you notice that these musicians planned and prepared for this joyous worship service? They spent their days leading up to this service in prayer, purification, and probably rehearsal in order to lead the people in worship to the best of their ability. And it paid off! The praise exhibited among the Israelites was so loud it could be heard from afar. Their preparation helped create an environment where the joy of the Lord could be felt.

You don’t have to be part of the choir and orchestra to prepare for worship. How are you spending your days in between our worship gatherings on Sundays? The way you spend your time during the week impacts the way you walk into worship. If we spend the week comparing ourselves to others, living in unconfessed sin, walking in unforgiveness, or spinning our wheels over worldly concerns, we’ll find it harder to jump for joy and sing loud enough for all to hear.

What are daily habits or disciplines that help you prepare to worship with joy on Sunday? How does your time during the week need to change in order to prepare well for worship?

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 12:40-47 (day three)

“So all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah gave the portions due the singers and the gatekeepers as each day required, and set apart the consecrated portion for the Levites, and the Levites set apart the consecrated portion for the sons of Aaron.”

The religious use of money is a fraught issue because of financial abuse and misuse. The same was true in Nehemiah’s day. When Nehemiah arrived on the scene, he found that the high priest in Jerusalem maintained cozy and mutually beneficial arrangements with those in power. The same was true centuries later when Jesus laid waste to the temple’s outer court, decrying the profit-taking schemes benefitting the religious establishment. Jesus still watches the money flowing through the church, just as he sat watching that day when he pointed out that a widow’s pure devotion outweighed all other riches.

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 12:40-47 (day two)

…and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy, even the women and children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar. v. 43

Pastor Don used to exhort us to sing so the seven year-old passing us by on the sidewalk would stop and wonder what was going on. I heard him use that illustration several times over the years. The age and gender of the passerby would change each time, but the sentiment was still the same. Our praise should radiate. When we gather it is a declaration that Jesus is Lord over everything and everyone. He has conquered death; he has given us life, and we have reason to rejoice. Does this reflect how you worship? Or does this make you uncomfortable? We have a declaration of victory to proclaim to the world. We gather in thanksgiving to glorify the Lord for his goodness, and in so doing, we cannot help but shout our praise. I can’t wait for Sunday.

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 10:28-30 (day seven)

… taking on themselves a curse … vs 29

Though they were taking on an oath to walk in God’s law, there was also a curse attached to the oath. If they failed to walk in the law of the Lord, they would fall back into the same cycle that has plagued these peoples since the beginning of their history. The Israelites abandon God, face punishment through foreign domination, cry out for help, and then are rescued by a judge, king, or prophet appointed by God who puts things back in order.

The curse is more of a promise from God. When we attempt to do things our way instead of God’s way, we will become more susceptible to corruption from the enemy. It is not that He chooses for us to be punished for our disobedience. Rather, our disobedience creates a disconnect between us and God that opens the door for further disobedience. It does not begin with full on abandonment of God. It is little choices of trying to do things our way that gets us in to trouble. We think we do not need God, and in turn attempt to become our own god. That is when the promise becomes a curse.

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 10:28-30 (day six)

In Nehemiah’s day, Israel renewed their commitment to God’s law, which included their rhythms. They pledged to honor the Sabbath, observe sacred days, and trust God enough to pause their productivity. This wasn’t legalism, it was a rhythm of resistance against the pull of the surrounding culture.

We, too, live in a world that glorifies busyness and productivity. But repentance means more than avoiding sin; it means reordering our lives around the reign of King Jesus.

What rhythms shape your week? Is there space for rest, worship, and dependence on God? Or have our calendars been quietly discipled by the culture around us?

Renewal begins when God’s people not only believe differently, but live differently.

Let’s make room for rhythms that reflect Kingdom priorities.

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 10:28-30 (day five)

Did you notice in verse 29 who all were included in this covenant agreement?  At first glance my answer was everybody.  But that is the point, EVERYBODY- to include the nobles. Remember chapter 5?  We see those same nobles (who were persecuting and oppressing the people) now a part of the community.  The same nobles who were not willing to work or serve are now in community soon to be covenant community.  What happened?  What caused this change of heart in the Israelites who were “crying out” earlier to the injustice caused by these nobles, to now seemingly have them be a part of this accountability through a covenant?  The answer is repentance- true repentance.  There was an acknowledgement by the nobles, (confession) of their sin, then there was restoration and reversal (a sure sign of repentance).  But also notice the grace and courage exhibited by the people.  There was opportunity and invitation extended to join and finish the wall, build a nation, and restore relationships.  That’s a testimony to the Living God who redeems, restores, and renews (everybody)!!

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” ‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 10:28-30 (day four)

I have to confess, I have a hard time keeping myself accountable to my goals and convictions on my own. I go through this every January, and then again around this time of year. I have new spiritual convictions or goals in mind, and I start with good intentions, but I often can’t seem to motivate myself to keep at it. Eventually, the things of daily life choke out my once strongly held convictions and I fall back into old patterns. As much as it frustrates me, I am simply not strong enough on my own to accomplish these things.

You know what changes this pattern, though? Stating my goals in front of others. Attaching my name to a goal where others can see it. Including my community in my spiritual formation and personal growth. Now, it’s not just me, myself, and I keeping me accountable, but a community of people who want grow with me.

When the people under Nehemiah’s care signed the document, they were boldly and publicly attaching their name to a goal for holiness. No, simply signing a document doesn’t mean you’re sure to accomplish that goal, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction to maintain public accountability. If the people slipped back into a life of sin, others in the community could remind them of the document with their name on it and the life they are called to. It’s not foolproof, but it is helpful. How might you employ a similar kind of accountability in your own life?