December 12 – Nehemiah 8:1-12
Joy. Boy oh boy this passage humbles me. The people stood for hours listening to the reading of God’s Word in this passage. They took it to heart and wept as they heard it. They yearned to hear from God and valued it more than their own comfort. Their hunger and thirst at this moment for God’s truths was great. Can you imagine that great square with all the people eagerly listening? They were finally back in their homeland after years and years of captivity. Most of them standing there had been born in captivity and had only heard of Jerusalem until they were allowed to return home. They were free to hear the words of God proclaimed on a city street! They were back to where they could worship God freely.
When they heard all His commands and instructions? They wept. I suspect part of it was just the overwhelming sense of finally being home and able to worship God. And part of it was probably the horrified realization of how they had strayed. I think the verse that sums up that day best, though, is Nehemiah 8:12: “So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them.” In the end, the emotion was JOY because they had heard and understood what God had said to them. May it be so with us!
My verse: Nehemiah 8:3 “He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law.”
My response: I love that the joy that came later started here in that square, Lord. A hungry people listening intently to the living Word of God. Oh help me to value You Word like that!!
5 Minute Selah Moment – read our Monday’s Musings.
