THE STORY OF JESUS: Nehemiah 9-10
“We are slaves today, in the land you gave our ancestors.” (Nehemiah 9:36)
The bible is the story of God’s love for His stubborn children.
In times of need or crisis we cry out for help.
But when we’re doing well, we forget God, or keep Him at a distance.
Living without God leads to hardship and misery.
Think of the prodigal son, free to live as he pleased.
And he ends up among the pigs destitute and hopeless.
Yet not quite hopeless… there’s still the Father.
Like Nehemiah in this prayer, like the prodigal son, we can go back.
God does not give up on us, even when we give up on Him.
Where am I right now in my relationship with the Lord?
Am I clinging to Him for help, or trying to go it alone?
Life in this world is impossible without God as our partner.
Whatever we pursue instead will enslave us, and ruin our lives.
Thankfully, even then, we can still turn back, and He will welcome us!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, ‘prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for Your courts above
God is with His people as we see from today’s reading even though His people did not always worship God. The people then and even today reject God doing evil in His sight. Yet he never turns His back on His people when they cry unto Him. He never abandons His people for He has promised that He is with us. Emmanuel. He is faithful. And I need to be the same and serve Him.
TGIF – Today God Is First. He must be that each day – all the time.
Lord, help me daily to be true to You. Help me to live the fruit of the Spirit. Your Word needs to be my daily guide. Direct my feet in the way I need to go today and always.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.