Carry
Nehemiah 8:10*
For poetry postings for this fall and Thanksgiving time, look under the menu of labels for "autumn" or "seasons", for starters. You may want to try under "temporal" or "change."
* Though they had been chosen, rescued, and given great promises, God’s Old Testament people, the Jews, had suffered severe consequence because of continually rejecting Him, His covenant and His laws for centuries. They had even practiced gross idolatry. (Before we fault them, however, we should remember that we are exactly the same kinds of rebels, whether we want to admit it to ourselves or not.) Ezra the Scribe & Nehemiah the Royal Cupbearer (for the King of Persia) were leaders of the Jews when they returned to their promised land after 70 years of exile. Ezra read from God’s Word and recited His Law to the people. They were broken and their consciences were pierced by the vast disobedience and rebellion of them and their ancestors. The exile had been severe. Now the Jews asked themselves who they were, returning to this scarred land. Who were they without the temple? How were they to relate to God now? Was their special relationship with Yahweh also lost?
Nehemiah had told them to go " 'enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. ' ”
The joy of the Lord is found through repentance, on the road to restoration. God convicts us of sin, which brings about guilt and often unhelpful shame. After Ezra's reading of the Law caused the people to really understand. And it broke their hearts--in the right way. Once the people understood — really understood — they wept. God's Word was opening their eyes to the way they had failed Him, but Nehemiah was quick to remind them of who Yahweh God is. They could delight and comfort themselves in the joy of the Yahweh because He is a forgiving God, "gracious and compassionate" (see Exodus 34:2).
This is a great thought for Thanksgiving!
* Though they had been chosen, rescued, and given great promises, God’s Old Testament people, the Jews, had suffered severe consequence because of continually rejecting Him, His covenant and His laws for centuries. They had even practiced gross idolatry. (Before we fault them, however, we should remember that we are exactly the same kinds of rebels, whether we want to admit it to ourselves or not.) Ezra the Scribe & Nehemiah the Royal Cupbearer (for the King of Persia) were leaders of the Jews when they returned to their promised land after 70 years of exile. Ezra read from God’s Word and recited His Law to the people. They were broken and their consciences were pierced by the vast disobedience and rebellion of them and their ancestors. The exile had been severe. Now the Jews asked themselves who they were, returning to this scarred land. Who were they without the temple? How were they to relate to God now? Was their special relationship with Yahweh also lost?
Nehemiah had told them to go " 'enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. ' ”
The joy of the Lord is found through repentance, on the road to restoration. God convicts us of sin, which brings about guilt and often unhelpful shame. After Ezra's reading of the Law caused the people to really understand. And it broke their hearts--in the right way. Once the people understood — really understood — they wept. God's Word was opening their eyes to the way they had failed Him, but Nehemiah was quick to remind them of who Yahweh God is. They could delight and comfort themselves in the joy of the Yahweh because He is a forgiving God, "gracious and compassionate" (see Exodus 34:2).
This is a great thought for Thanksgiving!
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