Day 149: Nehemiah 12-13

What are you living to?

This biblical book ends with Nehemiah reflecting on his leadership career. He repeatedly asks God to remember him, to have favor on him.

My great-gradfather, Roy Clyde Jenkins, died before I was born. As a child I heard stories about him. He’s still a legend in my family. He was a farmer and a preacher and a loving family man. Apparently his last words were “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” (See Luke 23:46.) His life of faith led to a faithful death. He had spent so much of his life in the Lord’s presence that he was conscious of that divine reality even at his final breath.

When I reflect on my lifetime in God’s service, I pray that I will see faithfulness that will allow me to expect divine favor.

Day 148: Nehemiah 10-11

Repentance brings responsibility.

In yesterday’s post, I wrote, “Scripture’s examination of us leads to confession.” We saw that confession leads to repentance. In today’s reading, we see repentant people accepting various ministerial responsibilities.

We don’t deal in shekels. Christian worship doesn’t include burnt offerings. But ministers still have responsibilities, and God calls all Jesus-followers to serve as active ministers.

Different ministry roles come with different responsibilities. Whether your role is preaching, teaching, administering, developing children, mentoring emerging adults, caring for aging parents, or something else, repenting (changing) to live for God is a continual process in which we accept various responsibilities. What are yours?

Day 147: Nehemiah 8-9

Scripture’s examination of us leads to confession.

Ezra stands before his people and reads the law book out loud for a long time. What intrigues me is that the people ask him to do that. What surprises me is that they listen.

One of my preaching professors told me a sermon should last around 22 minutes, due to our culture’s shrinking attention span. I’ve learned that my sermon length should be even shorter when I speak to college students.

But the encouragement I find in today’s reading doesn’t come from the people’s ability to listen for a long time. After they hear the words of scripture, they confess their sins and make a commitment of repentance.

Studying the Bible is helpful, but we also need to let it study us. We need to let it put us under a microscope and reveal every little detail of our lives. When we allow scripture to function in that way, we find opportunities for confession and repentance. We admit our sins to God and commit to holier living.

Day 146: Nehemiah 7

One of my relatives was a part-time member of a church staff that was looking to add a minister. When she recommended me, the lead minister was skeptical at first. He thought something like this: “A family member. Unlikely. Who knows what this guy’s like?!”

After learning some about me, he welcomed me to a conversation. When he confessed his initial hesitation, I understood.

In today’s reading Nehemiah appoints his brother Hanani to a ministry leadership role, but Nehemiah doesn’t make that decision merely because of the familial connection. He selects his brother because of his integrity and faith.

What great leadership characteristics! Traits we should all pursue. Integrity and faith.

Day 145: Nehemiah 4-6

When attempting to accomplish important tasks, even in the face of severe opposition, we need to care for people in need.

Nehemiah is leading the worthy task of rebuilding Jerusalem. Between opposition in chapter 4 and more opposition in chapter 6, he cares for the poor in chapter 5.

Noble tasks can consume us leaders. Opposition can increase our devotion to our work. We might find ourselves focused so exclusively on worthy actions that we fail to see the needs of the people under our care.

In those situations, let us follow Nehemiah’s example.

Day 144: Nehemiah 1-3

“Let us start rebuilding.” Some officials say these words in today’s reading after Nehemiah casts a vision for the work. Jerusalem is in shambles, and the rebuilding begins.

Is your life falling apart? Has your faith faded? Has your spiritual resolve dissipated? Is a relationship in ruins? Are you conquered by career chaos? Start rebuilding.

Rebuilding is needed not just in our individual lives. It’s necessary in cultures, governments, organizations, and other contexts. And it’s vital to the church. God blesses each generation of church leaders with the responsibility of rebuilding. We don’t build blindly or alone. We start with foundations bequeathed to us by our predecessors, and we benefit from their wise contributions to our theology and practice.

God’s “gracious hand” is on Nehemiah in this story, and that hand is available to us. “Let us start rebuilding.”

Day 143: Ezra 8-10

The story in Ezra 8-10 connects fasting to humility, petition, prayer, confession, and repentance. Ezra orders a fast so that his people will humble themselves and “ask [God] for a safe journey” (8:21). Then Ezra prays in chapter 9. In that prayer he accepts responsibility for sin and recognizes God’s faithful goodness. The next chapter says the people confess their sins and commit to living rightly.

The Renovaré website defines fasting as “The voluntary denial of an otherwise normal function for the sake of intense spiritual activity.” We can fast from food, caffeine, electronic media, and various other objects and activities that might not be bad in themselves but sometimes challenges our spiritual awareness or allegiance to God.

Why do we fast? Renovaré explains:

The focus of biblical fasting is always on spiritual purposes.  The heart of one who is fasting is to seek God, most often privately and with no motive to gain approval from people.  Fasting provides the opportunity to reveal those things that control us.  It reminds us that we ae sustained by every word of God and it restores balance in a believer’s life regarding priorities and nonessentials.

Are there some other purposes of fasting?

Day 142: Ezra 4-7

The desire for recognition plagues human nature, but there is a better way.

Today’s reading shows us some people who begin an important ministry task, and others want to participate. When they don’t receive permission to join the team, they start working against the mission. They try to discourage the workers and fill them with fear. They bribe officials to support the opposition.

Have you ever wanted to participate in a worthy activity but been rejected? Have you experienced such a blow to your ego? Have you known someone who has?

It can be devastating. It can make us feel unworthy, unwanted. It can stir anger in us and lead us to handle conflict in unhealthy ways.

In those trying times, I pray we will resist the urge to retaliate. I pray we will get over ourselves and seek the community’s good. I pray we will persevere to find ways we can serve instead of wasting time by whining.

Day 141: Ezra 1-3

Responsible leaders credit God for their positions. They recognize that leadership is a gift.

The book of Ezra begins with an example of this in the words of King Cyrus of Persia: “The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah” (Ezra 1:2).

Since leadership is a gift from God, we should appreciate it and use it faithfully for God’s purposes. Yesterday I encouraged “voters to choose candidates who work for peace, justice, compassion, and other ideals close to God’s heart.” Today’s message applies to politicians, but it can guide all leaders.

Whether your leadership is in a church, family, business, school, community, sports team, or other organization, give thanks for the gift and let God’s passions guide you.

Yes, I’m writing to myself.

Day 140: Second Chronicles 35-36

As election time approaches, political hopefuls vigorously campaign. Citizens talk up their favorites and bash opponents via Facebook, Twitter, and other media. Hope and hatred blend in this season of anticipation and debate.

As I write this, conversants at a nearby table bombard me with such language:

“He’s so clueless…”

“Those stupid idiots…”

“I’m a Captain Spock guy.”

(The speaker mentioned an actual presidential candidate, not Spock. I changed the name to avoid supporting or disrespecting a particular candidate. I did learn through Facebook, however, that Spock apparently is running for office. I’ll let you do your own research on that.)

And today’s reading inserts an instructive message into our excitement. The end of Second Chronicles says Jerusalem’s fall is due to people’s refusal to listen to God’s speakers.

I’m not a fan of applying episodes from ancient cultures directly to our time and place in a way that assumes one nation superior to all others, but I believe leaders of governments can learn from such stories. I encourage voters to choose candidates who work for peace, justice, compassion, and other ideals close to God’s heart.