October 5: Nehemiah 8:7-12
Key Verse: Nehemiah 8:10
Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’
Devotion:
Nehemiah was led by the Lord to go back and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem but before he could do that he had to get permission from Artaxerxes and gather all the right equipment; a bit of a logistical nightmare! But God had declared it so things fell into place… but not the local people. No matter how well things go and how much we know God is sending us there will always be someone who objects because they don’t get recognition!
After a long time of opposition and delays, the project was finally complete. The exiled people returned and the Levites set about teaching the Law, the Scriptures, once again. Nehemiah had made sure nobody was left out, the poor were helped and all the people got to hear the law after the building work was done; because now was the time to rebuild the spiritual wall for the people.
After hearing the law retold, the people were somewhat afraid and many were crying knowing what they had done wrong and beginning to see why everything had happened over the last few years. But Nehemiah did not berate the people. He stood firm with the law and told the people to look forward to what would come because they had collectively set things right once again.
Guiding the people to celebrate their victory he made sure nobody was left out, the poor would get the support they needed and everyone would rejoice because God had made all this possible!
Points to Ponder:
How often do you stop doing things because of opposition?
How often do you really rely on God?