SATURDAY,
OCTOBER 29, 2022
TEXT:
Nehemiah 1:1-11
1.
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of
Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the capital,
2.
that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked
them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and
concerning Jerusalem.
3.
And they said to me, The remnant there in the province who had survived the
exiles is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and
its gates are destroyed by fire.
4.
As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I
continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
5.
And I said, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant
and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,
6.
let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your
servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your
servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned
against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned.
7.
We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments,
the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses.
8.
Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, If you are
unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples,
9.
but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your
dispersed be under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring
them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.
10.
They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great
power and by your strong hand.
11.
O lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the
prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your
servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was
cupbearer to the king.
(English
Standard Version Holy Bible)
TOPIC:
NEHEMIAH’S VISION
This wonderful book
opens with Nehemiah in the palace of the greatest monarch in ancient history,
King Artexerxes. Nehemiah had every reason to conclude that he was secured and
should therefore, not think about returning to Judah.
Not so, because he had
been living with a burden. His heart was in Judah, even though his body was in
Susa. Visions are born out of burdens and passions. The welfare of the returnee
exiles had been on Nehemiah’s mind.
A true servant of God
recognizes God as the giver of visions and so it is appropriate to return to
him for direction, strategies and resources for the actualization of the
vision.
Nehemiah addressed
specific stumbling blocks and made specific requests toward fulfilling this
vision: a secured Jerusalem in a state of peace and security; save his people
from disgrace; secure their dwelling place from enemies; and restore confidence
in God as their dependable Yahweh.
Every believer is
commissioned by God to accomplish a certain vision on earth. It is sad that
many of us, especially church leaders, waste our resources – life, strength,
wealth, intellect, etc – in pursuit of irrelevant and empty things while the
visions is neglected. Be warned!
QUESTION:
Do you know what you are called upon to accomplish before you return to your
creator?
PRAYER:
If you know what you are called to do, ask God for wisdom and every resource to
accomplish it. If you don’t, cry to God and give Him no rest until you discover
it.
Remain
Blessed
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