The Everyday Prayer

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?

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!