The book of Nehemiah shows us, among other things, the importance of reading, and obeying God’s Word.
Nehemiah 8:1-8 As Ezra reads God’s Word, the people praise God.
The people gather and Ezra reads God’s words to them. All morning he reads to them and the Bible says they ‘were attentive’ to the Word, verse 3. They also worshipped the Lord.
Some Things to Think About
How important is God’s Word to you? Reading God’s Word should encourage us to worship Him. Have you read God’s Word today? If not, why not take time to do it now?
What has God revealed of Himself to you as you read and were you attentive to what He had to say to you? What in God’s Word makes you worship God more?
Nehemiah 8:9-12
As instructed by Nehemiah, the governor and Ezra the priest, the people rejoice in God’s goodness.
The words the people heard made them weep. But Nehemiah and Ezra told them this was not a day for weeping, but rather a day ‘holy to the lord your God,’ verse 9. It was a day for celebrating God’s goodness to them.
For what can you rejoice and praise God for today. In my journals I noted that one time, when I read this book through I praised God for our son’s safe return from Beach Mission and for the young people who responded to the gospel message they heard on that beach mission.
Today I rejoice and praise God for the way he is using my daughter in the school where she is teaching young people more about God and God’s rescue plan for people available through Jesus. I also praise God for the church we are in, for opportunities to serve there doing something I love doing which is singing. What will you praise God for today?
Nehemiah 8:13-18
As written in the law, people celebrate in booths.
The people gathered again on the second day to ‘gain insight into the words of the law,’ verse 13. They learned that God had instructed Moses that the people should live in booths during the feast of the seventh moon, verse14. Immediately they set about making booths according to God’s Word.
Are you as quick to respond to God’s words as the Israelites were? God may not require us to make booths and live in them, but there may be something else that He is wanting us to do or some other form of celebration he would like to see in our lives. Will you read His Word, discover what He want you do to and then do it?
Bible verses from the New American Standard Version
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