Category: Nehemiah

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 10:28-30 (day two) are joining with their kinsmen, their nobles, and are taking on themselves a curse and an oath to walk in God’s law…v. 29a

It is not difficult to misuse this passage of scripture. At first glance there is a distinct xenophobic directive given. They were to separate from foreigners, and not associate in any way with outsiders. Taken straight out of context this gives the impression that one people group is better than another. God is speaking directly to his people, in our modern context his people is not a nationality, a bordered identity, or a racial identifier. God’s people are marked with the blood of Jesus, and as such, are together redeemed. Nehemiah is reminding the people that to associate with the Lord is to take on the yoke of the law. It is a ponderous burden, and it is difficult to keep, but it is the responsibility of the people of Moses. They could not be of two minds. If they followed the rest of the world, they were of the world. If they were to follow the Lord, they were to keep the Law. Our modern reading has nothing to do with foreigners, and everything to do with grace. May our obedience to Jesus be marked by his mercy and grace toward us all.

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 9:1-3 (day seven)

Did you know that Nehemiah 9:5-38 is the longest recorded prayer in the Bible? There are songs and psalms that compare, but of the specific prayers in Scripture, none can top this Levitical confession. Yet, this prayer only takes about six and half minutes to read aloud in the english translation. If you have not read the prayer this week, go ahead and do so now.

Rejoice always;  pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

What does it mean to pray without ceasing if Scripture only exhibits short prayers? Praying without ceasing is next to impossible. Living your life in an attitude of prayer is entirely possible! Like a quiver full of arrows, we should be able to reach back shoot up a quick prayer at any moment of the day. God wants us to pray about all things little and big. Those arrow prayer will help us achieve an attitude of prayer in our daily life. “Prayer does not need to be long to be glorious and effective.” -Guzik

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 9:1-3 (day six)

Because of all this we are entering into a binding covenant in written form; our leaders, our Levites, and our priests have affixed their names on the sealed document. Nehemiah 9:38

Confession and repentance go together, but they’re not the same. In Nehemiah 9, confession happens in verses 1-3, but repentance doesn’t occur until verse 38 when they renew their covenant to obey God. Confession is naming our sin before God. Repentance is turning from obeying the false gods of this world and re-aligning our lives under King Jesus.

They’re the two sides of real faith. Confession without repentance stays stuck. Repentance without confession misses the heart.

When repentance becomes communal, it creates a new culture—one shaped not by the age, but by allegiance to Christ.

“While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day;”

Now that the Israelites have finished working on the wall, God has begun working on them. Have you noticed how much and how often the scriptures are being read and taught?  Have you also considered that God’s Word is accurately accomplishing its plan and purpose?  It is a lamp and light, and it is also a sword (Hebrews) and a mirror (James). There is an intense tension as the scriptures reveal a loving and holy God as well as a finite and flawed people. The scriptures guide, guard, and grieve the human heart. The scriptures also reveal the glory and goodness of God- for the purpose of redemption and renewal. “Will You not Yourself revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?”
May the scriptures do that work in us as we read, study, pray, confess, and worship!!

 

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 9:1-3 (day four)

This is one of the many instances in Scripture where we see God’s people using ashes or dirt in their process of grieving over sin. They did this as an outward sign of their repentance and humility before God, showing their sorrow over their sins against God and one another. These instances in Scripture inspired what would become Ash Wednesday, an annual reminder that sin is grievous and makes us worthy of death, though through the grace of Christ we are granted life.

Echoing what Aaron stated in Re:Vlog, I don’t often become grieved by my sin in the way I ought to. Yes, we have perfect forgiveness of sin through Christ, but sin still grieves the heart of God, which means it should grieve our hearts as well. While Ash Wednesday is a wonderful annual opportunity to do this, we must make genuine repentance an ongoing activity. How might you incorporate this kind of repentance – sorrow over sin and gratitude for God’s forgiveness – into your life? Maybe this becomes the focus of your response time during Sunday worship, or maybe you find an accountability partner to pray with once a week. Whatever this looks like for you, we know that spending time in regular repentance will make us look more like Christ. What a wonderful reward!

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 9:1-3 (day three)

“The sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them.”

One of the hallmarks of a depressive state is the lack of care for the body, sometimes manifesting as the cessation of eating, apathy towards personal grooming, and lack of attention to hygiene. In such a state, time slows to a crawl and the seconds of the day stretch into one undifferentiated moment in which, from the standpoint of the person experiencing the mood disorder, nothing happens and no changes occur. The act of communal confession chronicled here does not present people in a depressive state. There is a pause in giving attention to the body, yes. There is a mood of deep solemnity and sorrow, certainly. But the people are experiencing a time of repair, not despair. God accepts them, the breach is healed, and they become whole.

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 9:1-3 (day two)

While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God. v. 3

The confession of God’s people should be a cathartic experience. Whenever we confront our sin, we cycle through many emotions. No one wants to grieve the heart of God, and shame can often accompany our confession. Our confessions may recognize hurt and anguish as we let go of self and assume a repentant posture. When viewed from the outside this seems to be a lonely and uncomfortable place to be, and for anyone who has repented their sin they can attest to that discomfort. Whatever has brought us to a place where repentance is needed should grieve our hearts, but the catharsis is the release. Even without the promise of forgiveness, which we have, the unburdening of our hearts is cause for worship. To have a God who will hear our cries is a tremendous comfort. Worship may feel different when we are in a repentant posture than we are celebrating, but it is no less genuine. May our repentance always have an element of worship.

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 8:9-12 (day seven)

because they understood the words which had been made known to them. vs 12b

This was not the first time the Israelites had heard the laws from Scripture be told to them, but this was the first time they heard The Law in a way that touched them to the core.

As we wind down the summer, I reflect back on Impact Camp. Something special happens at camp where students hear and understand scripture on a level that touches them to the core. The speaker is saying the same thing that we tell them every week, the Holy Spirit is the same God, and their Bible is the same Bible. What makes camp so special? Separation, Saturation, and Expectation. They are separated from their normal pattern of life, saturated in Scripture all week, and they expect for God to do something big.

What if it wasn’t just camp? What if we saturated ourselves in Scripture all week? What if we were to walk into Sunday morning Bible Study and Worship with the same expectation as youth do for camp? What if it wasn’t just something we checked off the box? What if we really listened to understand the sermon instead of just hearing another word? Maybe we too will weep. Maybe we too will be filled with the joy of the Lord. Expect for God to do something Big!