Today I attended Bedside Baptist Church (been doing that a lot lately, but that's for another post). In an effort to get the word in I found myself unable to focus. Coincidentally my mother also opted out of attending her church and was reading her Bible aloud. I thought of a popular scripture...
"For where two or three gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
Matthew 18:20
I decided to join her and was welcomed with open arms (my mama is the best). She was reading from Nehemiah, the seventh, eighth, and ninth chapter. It is the ninth chapter, where the Israelites confess their sins that I found my message for this #BacktotheBasics post. Crazy how God will put you in the right place at the right time to deliver His message.
First a little background knowledge. In Nehemiah 7, a wall has been rebuilt in Jerusalem. The chapter goes on to include a list of all those that had been exiled from Jerusalem, but are now returning. There are plans to rebuild Jerusalem after it had been destroyed, including appointing different heads of families to various positions.
In Nehemiah 8 it is in the month of July and all of the Israelites are settling into their new town. There was a man named Ezra who was known as the "teacher of the Law" who read from the Book of the Law of Moses. On this first day Ezra read from this book to different men and woman who could understand. He read from the book, explained what it meant, people shouted and praised, and then they went home to eat and enjoy drinks. It was considered a holy day, not to be filled with mourning or grief. I like to think of it as one of those "special Sundays" when the pastor preaches that really good sermon then you have that bomb food afterwards. Nothing but joy. This day of celebration was the first of many. Day after day Ezra read from this Book of the Law of God and there were festivals, celebrations, and assembly's as they learned about the Word of the Lord.
Now, where the lesson comes in. On the 24th day the celebration was a bit different. For one quarter of the day, the people read from the Book of the Law of the Lord and for the other quarter of the day the people confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. Some of the Levites (kind of like the deacons of the church) instructed the people to stand up and give thanks to the Lord. They began to name all of the wonderful things that the Lord has done.
“Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. 6 You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you."
Nehemiah 9: 6
For 10 more versus' the Levites talk about all that God has done for their ancestors. Sending signs during their suffering. Dividing the Red Sea so that they could get away from the Pharaoh, but then allowing the sea to collapse on top of the soldiers so that they would not be caught. Guiding His people by day and night. Giving regulations and laws to follow that were just and right, "decrees and commands that are good". Gave them food to eat when they were hungry, water when they were thirsty, and land to live on. Let's keep it real...God was GOOD to them. Better than good to them. He did everything that a follower of Christ could ask for. You can't help but begin to think of all the ways God has been good to you. All the situations He has brought you out of, all of the prayers He has answered, all of the blessings He has provided (most times without you even having to ask). These versus' tell us exactly what kind of God we serve. A gracious God.
Then, being human and all...we go and mess it up. The chapter goes on to talk about how the ancestors became arrogant and "stiff-necked", no longer obeying the commandments of the Lord.
"They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed."
Nehemiah 9: 17
Now, I bet you can't help but to think of the times where you so easily forgot all that God has brought you through. Doing things your way, instead of His way. Being cocky. Thinking that the good in your life has come from your own doing, instead of the Lord (Ephesians 2:8-9). Essentially, as our ancestors did, becoming a slave to a new leader (your own self) when God has just delivered you from an old one. But then God does something so precious... He forgives. In the same verse that our ancestors sinned, God forgave them. In the same moment that you messed up, God forgave you. A forgiving God.
"But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them."
Nehemiah 9:17
Here were these people that had been through such trials ans tribulations, but were saved moment after moment, day after day by a God that they were no longer even willing to recognize as their God. Here was God forgiving, being gracious, and continuing to bless those that didn't deserve it. Sound familiar? It sure does to me. He continued to lead them by day and by night. He continued to allow the Holy Spirit to guide them. He continued to feed them when they were hungry, give them water when they were thirsty.
"For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.
Nehemiah 9:21
FORTY YEARS! For FORTY years the Lord continued to bless these people who had turned against Him. For FORTY years he continued to forgive these people. He gave them land, cities, houses, possessions, farms, food, anything you can think of, God provided to these people. Then again, they turned against Him. So God did what He had to do. He delivered them into the hands of their enemy.
"But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they turned their backs on your law."
Nehemiah 9:26
That's the thing about forgiveness. God will forgive you time and time again, but His grace and mercy are not a pass to continue being enslaved to what He has delivered you from or committing the same sin that He has forgiven you for. If you continue to be disobedient, God will see to it that you receive what you deserve.
So you delivered them into the hands of their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you game them delivered, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies."
Nehemiah 9: 27
We've experienced a gracious God that provides all of our needs. We've experiences a forgiving God that loves us, despite how often we mess up. Now, this. A God that won't put more on us than we can bear. A God that could (should) let us destroy ourselves, but wont. A God that will teach us a lesson, but do it with love. In the same versus that He delivered them to the enemy, He delivered them from the enemy. In the same moment that God allows you to deal with the consequences of your actions, He will save you from those consequences. A merciful God.
"But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God."
Nehemiah 9:31
This chapter came just at the right time for me. A gentle reminder of the amazing God that I serve (some days more than others). I am reminded of all the grace God extends to me daily, starting by allowing me to wake up; all the forgiveness for my sins, even those that I constantly repeat; and all the mercy, giving me chance after chance to get it right and rescuing me from my own destruction when I don't deserve it. I don't know who this post may be for (besides myself), but I hope that it can remind you of how blessed you are to be a child of God. Keep messing up (it's inevitable), but also keep asking for forgiveness and keep thanking God for his grace and mercy. We would not be where we are today (no matter where you are) if it were not for all three of these blessings from God.
Peace, grace, mercy, and forgiveness, beautiful people!
xo
BLT