There are two passages assigned for today!
SCRIPTURE: Nehemiah 2
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
‘How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.’ The king asked, ‘Well, how can I help you?’ With a prayer to the God of heaven, I replied, ‘If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.’
[Nehemiah 2:3-5]
Nehemiah is very passionate about his God, his people and his country; though he did not leave with the early group that returned to Jerusalem, his heart was there, and now he is convicted for the cause.
The city of Jerusalem, and the temple, represent the special relationship between God and His covenant people, but also His kingdom purpose for the whole world.
Nehemiah sees God’s Name being dishonoured by the ruins, and it upsets him.
With prayer and conviction, he lays his heart bare before the king, pleading with him to allow him to go back home and help with the rebuilding.
But what makes him sad is the story state of God’s holy people – how can I not be sad???
In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, ‘Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!’ Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.’ [John 2:14-17]
Jesus is both sad and mad; sad to see how God is dishonoured and the temple abused by selfish, greedy, criminal behaviour; and mad at the people who ought to know better, who ought to be passionate for God too.
Nehemiah is more sad than mad, Jesus is more mad than sad; but both of them are consumed by a passion for God’s house, and take steps to do something about it.
As Jesus-followers, we are not focused on the Jewish temple; our focus is on what that temple represented symbolically in it’s time – the restored relationship between God and His people, God living among them!
Today our passion is not for a building, but for the hearts of all people with whom God desires a restored relationship.
God wants to live in every human heart, and we ought to be sad about the hearts that are in misery and brokenness, and mad about those who abuse them.
Today, we need to be sad and mad about the separation between God and people, about those who are lost, those who are suffering, those who are oppressed.
How can we not be sad; passion for God’s children will consume us!
How concerned am I about people, about their separation from God and their suffering?
Am I doing anything about it? Am I taking steps to help?
PRAYER:
Lord, break my heart with the things that break your heart. Help me to be consumed for restoring people (Your temples) to You!