September 14: Nehemiah 12:27-30
 
Key Verse: Nehemiah 12:30
When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall.
 
Devotion:
Nehemiah did not stop with making sure people got to hear the word properly, digest it, confess their sins and worship their God. He also made sure the gates and walls were dedicated to God. Too many times in our lives we are given or gain good things which we simply accept and carry on enjoying. What about making sure God is celebrated in these gifts or gains? What about making sure we remember just who it is who has given us access to such things in our lives!
 
I think the best houses I have lived in are the houses where I have asked God to bless and continued to ask Him to help look after them. The best things in life have also become more enjoyable and of greater blessing when I have involved God in the decision making and the looking after things.
 
Just like Nehemiah was doing here, we should be making sure God is involved in all things in our lives, especially those which are important or crucial! Just because it is made of bricks or stones or mud does not mean we leave God out of things! God needs to be involved in our physical world as well as our spiritual worlds.
 
Do you invite your best friend(s) to be a part of your life? Do you involve them in more aspects of your life than others? Do you allow them to help make decisions? Do you involve your partner in decisions you make in your life? If we want healthy relationships, we should be involving others in our lives and making relationships real. We also need to make sure we make our relationships with God real and involve Him more in our everyday lives and not just on our holy days!
 
Points to Ponder:
How often do you ask God for help making decisions in everyday life?
 
Will you try to involve God more in your daily routines?