Skip to main content

Daily Devotion: Nehemiah 10:39

By

Nehemiah 10:39    “For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.”

Once again, I use one verse for the entire chapter. The first part of the chapter lists men’s names who were sealed unto the service of the Lord. I do not discount their names, for they were important examples unto the people of Judah who were making a vow unto the Lord that they would honor Him in all things. When you read through the chapter, you realize how serious they took their vow. They promised to give the firstfruit of the land unto the Lord. They would give the first of everything - fruit, crops, corn, cattle and sheep unto the Lord. They vowed to observe the feasts and festivals that honored the Lord for all He had done for them.

I read all their vows and am reminded that their having spent the past 70 years in bondage was due to their having forgotten the Lord and had neglected to observe the feasts that were set by the Lord. In other words, they allowed their own desires and designs for life to take the place of that which the Lord had commanded them. There are certain words that are repeated by the Lord when you read the various aspects of the law. Those repeated words show the results for the people when they followed the Lord: “It shall be well with thee.”

The theme of the book of Nehemiah is that of “restoration”.  But restoration can only come when God’s people turn back to Him.  Can we agree that restoration is needed in America today? Have we lost that which has made us a great nation? Have we forgotten that God is to have first place in our lives? Can we say that if we put God back as preeminent in our lives that “it will be well” with us?

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Daily Devotion: Enter With Thanksgiving - Psalm 100:1-5

By
One of the most beautiful Psalms of Thanksgiving is the 100th Psalm. Please turn to it and read verses one through five. With all my heart I believe we are a people and a nation that has truly been blessed by God. Of all those who “give thanks to Him and praise His name” we should be at the top!  It is not uncommon to compile wish lists at Christmas, and draw up a list of resolutions for the new year. But there is another list we often overlook - a Thanksgiving Day list of all for which we are thankful. What would your list contain? Most likely, a good part would be material possessions. I’m convinced that we would find that we have much more for which to be thankful than just our material possessions.  Like you, I’m sure my list would include the major things - life, health, family, friends, and the nation we live in, despite all its flaws. But even more than that, I’m thankful for my salvation, my Church family, and the mercy that God showers upon us each d...
Read more

Daily Devotion: Psalm 100:4-5 - Thanksgiving

By
Psalm 100:4-5     "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  (5)  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." Many songs have been written about these verses and with these words included. What do they mean? Today, we celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving. I've listened to many people speak about their family traditions and most of them include family, food, and football. These are wonderful and fun things that enrich the day, but is it the true meaning that was intended when the day was established?  The Psalmist instructed us to include a special action with our words of thankfulness.  We are to "enter into HIS gates." The heartfelt words of thanksgiving allow us to enter the gates of the Lord, but there is a much deeper place into which we can go. Not only are we to enter into HIS gates, but He invites us to come much closer to H...
Read more