relationships (Nehemiah 9:1-4) Come Together

(Nehemiah 9:1-4) Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them. 2 The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the wrongdoings of their fathers. 3 While they stood in their place, they read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God. 4 Now on the Levites’ platform stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and they cried out with a loud voice to the Lord their God.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

I see a huge message in just these four verses.  At first glance, we might not understand, and wonder - why "so dramatic".  I mean, I have to honestly admit that was exactly what I was thinking.  Like, "Okay, enough already.  When will you be ready to just move on?"  But a memory popped into my head.  

Grade nine was a bit of a rebellious year for me.  I hadn't gone overboard, but what I did and didn't do was "enough" to cause darkness, despair and depression.  And it actually took a while for me to work through all of that.  It was maybe a month of anguish, and searching my heart, and trying to analyze and process things, after which I confessed my sins to the Lord, and apologized to my parents for lying to them about going to youth group, and about skipping school...  So, I can't imagine how much anguish and processing all of these men had to sort through, but it was probably a lot.

Meanwhile, what always helps - is going to church and studying God's word and pouring our hearts out to the Lord in prayer!  "Separating from all foreigners" would in essence be - surrounding ourselves with other believers who share in this common ground.  Unbelievers would not understand or want to be part of this or the confessing of sins - unless they themselves are earnestly seeking the Lord.  

Church is a very intentional effort to come together to focus on the Lord, without any worldly influences or distractions.  In this, we can get very personal and bear one another's burdens and encourage and equip one another.  Here we can be reminded of what Christ has all done for us, is doing for us, and will do for us!