PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Nehemiah 13
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair.” (Nehemiah 13:25)
Nehemiah resorts to violence to smarten the people up.
But does it work; does physical discipline root out bad behaviour?
Violence cannot cure the heart; nor can it establish God’s kingdom.
Not even Jesus could fix the temple through forcefully cleansing it.
Through Jesus, God shows us what it takes to overcome evil.
Jesus uses grace, mercy, love, self-denial, compassion to beat evil.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)
In the end, Jesus was consumed by his zeal for God (John 2:17).
By his being ‘beaten’, he broke the grip of sin, violence and death.
He turned the tables on Satan by NOT responding to evil with more evil.
Jesus models the revolution of grace he speaks of in Matthew 5-7.
THIS is how we are saved, and to THIS we are called!
As a Jesus follower, am I committed to pursuing the kingdom THIS way?
This is how God’s kingdom comes: by grace, not violence!
PRAYER
Lord, the kind of leadership I need to provide is not a strong hand, but a servant’s hand. Help me not to beat your followers but to bless them with grace towards you!
How exasperating for Nehemiah – to see things slip back to the way things were – how the law was being ignored, the temple and the Sabbath desecrated and the people again marrying into the surrounding nations – again losing their role as a nation to serve all nations for the sake of God. How often don’t we slip back to old patterns too – especially when we lose connection with Jesus. Therein lies the antidote: stay connected! Nehemiah like Moses left for a time and people turn back. Jerusalem was blessed with a Passover that had happened for many years – even with people from the other tribes – and only a few months later Nehemiah finds the people ignoring the very commands they were taught – starting with the High Priests and Levites – contaminating the temple and not distributing the food as allocated! How easy it is to turn! Help me stay connected with your spirit to guide me!
Doing the Lord’s will. Standing on His promises. Doing right. Being separate from the world while in it. Showing the love of God to my neighbour as I live for Him in His Kingdom. Help me in Your Way Lord.
Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.