Today’s Reading: Exodus

God spoke into Job’s situation, and he was humbled. God was paying attention. He was never unaware of the suffering Job was going through. This generous God is the same God we serve today. He is present, He is aware, and He is paying attention. We see evidence of this in the history of God’s people as we review the book of Exodus, which we studied in depth in February.

Life in Egypt was bitter for the Israelites as they were made to work hard for Pharaoh, without mercy and under the pressure of ruthless demands. The more Pharaoh oppressed God’s people, the more the Israelites multiplied and spread. So Pharaoh gave an order to the Hebrew midwives to kill every newborn boy, only letting the baby girls live. But the Hebrew midwives feared God and refused to carry out the King’s orders, making excuses for why the baby boys were surviving. So Pharaoh ordered all the Egyptians to kill every newborn Hebrew boy (1:22). God heard the cries of His people and raised up a leader from among those targeted baby boys to rescue his people — his name was Moses.

BUT GOD IS NEVER CAUGHT UNAWARE. HE IS NEVER WITHOUT A PLAN.

Time and time again in history, we see evidence of God’s response to the oppression of a group of people. He raises up a leader or a team of people to stand up in opposition to injustice — racism, sexism, discrimination, hatred, abortion and more. God is not uninvolved, nor is He unaware. He does not wring His hands in uncertainty or turn His back. He empowers and equips His people, calling them to rescue and restore.

The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. – Psalm 34:19

From a burning bush, God called Moses to go to Pharaoh and command him to let God’s people go. Feeling as unqualified and unequipped as we would have, Moses struggled to accept the calling the Lord was placing on his life. Together with his brother, Aaron, Moses obediently did the hard thing God had called him to do.

GOD EQUIPPED MOSES WITH A STAFF AND TEN PLAGUES.

The Israelites became the audience to God’s grand display of judgment. During all of these plagues (blood, frogs, gnats, flies, death of livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness and then the death of the firstborn children), God’s people were protected. The Israelites were given specific instructions to follow so that the angel of death would pass over their house, sparing their firstborn. God’s people had experienced His power firsthand and now had a story to pass on to their children and grandchildren — from one generation to the next for the remainder of time.

When Pharaoh finally let the Israelites go, God did not lead them along the main road. He did not take them down the shortest path to their destination. He took them in a roundabout way. The Lord went ahead of them, guiding them during the day with a pillar of cloud and at night with a pillar of fire. At one point He even told them to doubleback and camp along the shore, and they obeyed.

Then God revealed to Moses what was about to happen, preparing him for a moment in leadership that was going to be tough. He was going to harden Pharaoh’s heart once again and an Egyptian army would soon be in pursuit of them. When the people looked up and saw the massive army approaching, they panicked and asked God — Why? Why did you lead us here? Our old life of slavery was better than this.

The pillar of cloud that had been leading them this whole time moved from the front and formed a wall behind them. The clouds settled between God’s people and their enemies. As night fell, the cloud changed to fire, casting its light upon the situation. The enemy stood still while God sent a strong east wind to blow across the sea bed, creating a dry path for His children to walk across. The people stood still and watched as God fought their battle. What a beautiful sight!

IT DIDN’T HAPPEN IN AN INSTANT BUT IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT.

Tell me again why we don’t trust God? Why do we doubt a God who can do ANYTHING? When the Red Sea is in front of you and the Egyptian army is behind you, you can trust God to form a wall of protection between you and the danger pressing in. You can trust Him to part the waters and provide dry land, as He unleashes His mighty power. Stand in awe of the God who can do ANYTHING.

As we study Exodus, we see God teaching the people who He is and what it should look like for them to have a covenant relationship with Him. What first appears to be a list of instructions or rules (10 Commandments) is actually God teaching His children about who He is — about His character and holiness.

The first four commandments help us understand our Holy God and why He must have our undivided attention. He is the Lord our God and nothing should be more important than Him. We are to treat His name as holy and dedicate the Sabbath to Him. Our covenant relationship with Him requires that we give Him first place in our lives — that we love Him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.

The next six commandments are about how we are to treat one another: Honor your parents, do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not testify falsely against your neighbor and do not covet what your neighbor has.

But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. – Exodus 20:6

Lord, it is such a joy and privilege to be in a covenant relationship with you. I long to understand you, and to be filled with your holiness so that I can love you by loving others. I want to trust you, even in the most difficult of situations. Help me to live out my faith daily through my actions. May my response to your holy character show in my ability to love others the way you love me. God, only you are capable of producing this kind of love in my heart. Fill me with who you are; lavish me with your unfailing love. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Job

There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. He had seven sons and three daughters. He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area. – Job 1:1-3

Most of us know the story. Job was a righteous man who had been blessed abundantly by God. He had a large family, lots of servants and lots of animals. He was known to offer burnt offerings for each of his ten children, just in case they had sinned. This shows the heart of a man who desperately wanted God to be pleased with him, as well as with his family.

One day, after patrolling the earth to see everything that was going on, Satan entered into God’s presence. God asked him if he had seen the integrity of his servant, Job. Satan’s response sounds familiar to attitudes often found today (Job 1:9-11) — Of course he serves you when everything is going right, but he would curse you if you took away your protection and blessings!

With God’s permission, everything in Job’s life changed in an instant. A messenger arrived to tell him that raiders had stolen all of his oxen and donkeys, and they had killed his farmhands. Before he had finished speaking, another messenger arrived to say fire had fallen from heaven killing all of his sheep and shepherds. A third messenger arrived to say raiders had stolen his camels, and his servants were dead. A fourth messenger arrived to say that a strong wind had blown down the walls of his oldest son’s home. All of his children were together when the house collapsed, and all ten of his children were now dead.

In his deep grief, Job refused to blame God for his troubles He responded, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21)

Satan, the Accuser, stepped into God’s presence once more to challenge the faith of Job. His accusation was that Job was still worshiping God because his pain had only been emotional and financial. So God allowed Satan to test Job physically, causing him excruciating pain from his head to foot.

Job sat in the ashes and scraped his boils with a piece of broken pottery. What a sad picture of a man who once had everything, but now had nothing. When his wife nagged him, encouraging him to curse God and die, Job’s response was powerful: “Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” (Job 2:10). Let’s ask ourselves that same question this morning:

SHOULD WE ACCEPT ONLY GOOD THINGS FROM THE HAND OF GOD AND NEVER ANYTHING BAD?

Job had a difficult time despite his faith in God. He felt the pain and suffered from the loss just like anyone else would. He was surrounded by friends who loved him enough to travel from their homes to be with him. Not only did they watch him grieve, they grieved alongside him. Their friendship was strong enough to be willing to sit in the dirt with him for a week, challenging him when he confessed that he wished he had never been born. Job’s response was — Don’t I have the right to complain to God?

Job developed an attitude of self-pity and defeat. After all, what good does it do to argue with God if He isn’t listening? Why cry out to a God who doesn’t bother to respond? Job went from sorrowfully feeling like God was no longer paying attention to demanding the opportunity to defend himself in front of God. He accused God of turning his back on him. He described himself as a target with God’s archers surrounding him, unfairly piercing him with arrows (16:12-13).

JOB QUESTIONED THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
JOB QUESTIONED THE GREATNESS OF GOD.
JOB QUESTIONED THE HEART OF GOD.
JOB QUESTIONED THE JUSTICE OF GOD.
JOB QUESTIONED THE WISDOM OF GOD.

A young bystander, Elihu, finally stepped into the conversation to remind all of them WHO God is and to caution them when making such grand accusations against God. You remember who God is, right? The Creator of the world, the Almighty, the One more powerful than we can comprehend or imagine?

As many of us have experienced, there is a choice to make in difficult circumstances. We can push God away and decide that He is not the good God we have always believed Him to be, or we can pull closer to Him so that He can comfort us in our darkest hour. I am so thankful to serve a God who welcomes my questions, who understands the pain I am going through, and who willingly comforts me when I am struggling to understand why He has allowed something in my life.

I HANG ONTO THE BELIEF THAT GOD IS GOOD — ALL THE TIME!

But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain. – Psalm 3:3-4

Job’s story has a happy ending. God stepped in, healing Job physically and restoring him with earthly possessions even greater than what he once had. And the great news for us today is that our story has a happy ending also! No matter what our current circumstances are, no matter how much we are suffering today, Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us in heaven where there will be no more sorrow, no more pain, no more loss.

“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last.
And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God!
I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.
I am overwhelmed at the thought!” – Job 19:25-27

Today’s Reading: Genesis 21:3-50:26

God blessed Abraham and Sarah with a son and they named him Isaac. They quickly learned that the same God who blesses us with children also asks us to trust Him with what comes next — to do anything God would ask us to do with the blessings He has provided for us.

“Take your son, your only son – yes, Isaac, whom you love so much – and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.” The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. – Genesis 22:2-3

God promised Abraham that he would have countless descendants. Isaac was the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, yet God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. I would have reacted with confusion and a lot of emotion, but that is not how Abraham displayed his faith. He trusted God to provide and faithfully, without hesitation, walked up the mountain with his greatest possession – his son.

WE DO NOT NEED TO PROTECT WHAT GOD GAVE US FROM THE GOD WHO GAVE IT TO US.

Abraham was willing to take what he had been given and give it back to God. Just as he was about to sacrifice his son, Abraham heard the angel’s voice and then saw that God had provided a ram for the sacrifice. On that mountain, both father and son learned that God provides.

Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” – Genesis 22:14

God keeps His promises, and He provides for the fulfillment of those promises. This knowledge keeps us going when it seems like life is moving too fast and when life gets really hard. This is what helps us cling to the Lord instead of embracing all the blessings He has bestowed on us.

When asked to perform the important task of finding a wife for Isaac, Abraham’s servant was willing, he was prepared, and he left equipped to do what he had been asked to do. Next he strategically positioned himself. He was there to find a young woman, so he went to the place where the women were known to go each day and draw water for their families. Then he prayed to God for success (Genesis 24).

AND THE LORD PROVIDED A WIFE FOR ISAAC. NEXT HE PROVIDED A LARGE FAMILY FOR JACOB.

Isaac’s son, Jacob, was also sent to his mother’s family to find a wife. On the journey, Jacob had an encounter with God. Provision was promised — provision for Jacob and for his numerous descendants. God promised to both provide and protect. He promised to be with Jacob, and what could be better than the provision of God’s presence? So Jacob took the pillow God had provided and set it up as a pillar, pouring oil on it and named it Bethel. And in this moment, he made a vow to God just as God had made a vow to Him — If you are with me, then I am with you!

Jacob’s story consists of both good times and bad. Jacob was blessed with two wives, two concubines, eleven sons and one daughter. He had acquired much wealth but his household had also acquired pagan idols. Jacob had to seek peace among his wives, peace with his uncle, and then lastly to seek peace with his brother, Esau. Life was difficult but God was present.

One of the greatest lessons I have learned is that God has a plan even when the choices of others are outside of God’s will — even when life is difficult. When I rest in His sovereignty, I learn how to trust Him despite everything that is going on around me. I learn to trust that God will provide in the midst of it all.

Jacob’s favorite son, Joseph, was affected time and time again by the sinful decisions of others, but God was NEVER uninvolved. Out of jealousy, Joseph’s brothers sinned against him when they sold him into slavery, but God did not abandon Joseph. A lot of good came out of Joseph’s life, even though the trajectory of his life drastically changed when his new master threw him into prison. I believe it was not God’s perfect will for Joseph to be sinned against and separated from his family, yet God’s plan was to use it for good.

THERE WAS NEVER A MOMENT WHEN GOD WAS UNAWARE OF JOSEPH’S SITUATION OR WITHOUT A PLAN.

God used Joseph’s location to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. When Joseph was placed in a position of authority, God used Joseph’s position to store up food during the years of plenty in order to provide during the years of famine. When his brothers arrived to buy food for their families, Joseph revealed his identity to them.

“I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives…God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an advisor to Pharoah…” – Genesis 45:4b-8

God takes all of our experiences in life and He executes a beautiful plan for how to use them for our good and for the good of others. God can take the deepest pain and the most tragic of stories and redeem it for the building of His kingdom. But first we need to stop acting for God and fully surrender our pain to Him. We need to stop seeing through the lens of our victimhood and allow the Lord to fully restore our hearts, bringing joy to the space we were reserving for self-pity, anger and hatred.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28

Lord, thank you for the many ways in which you have provided for us. We choose to give you our past, trust you with our future, and live today in confidence that YOU ARE THE GOD WHO PROVIDES. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Genesis 1:1-21:2

Over the last ten months, we have studied the Old Testament chronologically — from Genesis to Malachi. We have studied the history of God’s people, giving us insight into who God is and the relationship He created us for. Before we move into the New Testament, let’s take time to review some of the major themes woven through the stories of the Israelites.

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers — the moon and the stars you set in place — what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority — the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! – Psalm 8:3-9

Simply by speaking the world into existence, God took what was formless and empty and created the amazing details of this life. The world went from empty to full at His command. In the same way, God took the empty pages of your life and began your story. And He is not done yet. Today the Lord will continue to write your story; each chapter will be perfectly designed by Him. When we recognize that He is our Creator, we humbly see ourselves as His creation.

GOD WEAVES US INTO HIS STORY SO THAT HIS WILL CAN BE DONE IN US AND THROUGH US.

“Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” – Genesis 3:1

When the serpent approached Eve in the garden of Eden, he started planting seeds of doubt. He convinced the woman that she would not die if she ate from the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden. He planted in her heart the desire to be like God — to make her own decisions, to be enlightened, to do whatever she wants.

This seed of arrogance is where sin continues to sprout and grow today. We believe society’s lie that we have the right to do whatever we want to do. We fall for the deceptive thought that hell isn’t real — that there is no such place where God punishes sin. It didn’t take long for the serpent to convince Eve, and sadly it does not take long for us to believe these lies either. The world gives us permission to walk away from all the truth found in the Bible, but departure from God’s way does not bring joy.

What happened in the garden is a perfect example. When Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, their eyes were indeed opened, just like the serpent said they would be. But instead of it making them wiser and greater, it immediately brought shame. New emotions poured in and they were shook by the unfamiliarity of their feelings.

REBELLION AGAINST GOD STEALS OUR PEACE, BRINGING SHAME AND ANGER.

“Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” – Genesis 4:6-7

Sin was not just a Garden of Eden incident; sin became a generational pattern. Cain gave God less than his best and became angry that God did not reward his small contribution. Instead of confessing his jealousy, Cain wrapped himself in self-pity which led to murder and the refusal to take responsibility for his actions. When confronted with his sin, Cain could have humbly chosen confession and repentance; instead, he chose indifference.

But God is not indifferent to our sin. It breaks his heart when we reject Him. The God of the universe cares enough to grieve when we push Him away in our attempts to live our own life and chase after all the world has to offer. He has a wonderful plan of salvation He was willing to sacrifice His Son in order to offer, and it saddens Him when we push His plan aside to make room for our own.

In Genesis, God grieved over His new creation and their lack of love for their Creator. He saw the selfish desires of their heart and how quickly the people gravitated toward evil. But He also saw the heart of one person who kept his eyes focused on God, who chose to walk in close fellowship with his Maker. God saw Noah serving the Lord in the midst of a very sinful world, and He sees you too, my friend.

God sent a flood to cover the earth, and then He filled the sky with beautiful colors as a reminder that He keeps His promises. That rainbow reminds us today that we serve a God who keeps His promises. As the psalmist said, his promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over.

God promised Abraham that he would have descendants as numerous as the sand on the seashore and the stars in the sky, and God promised to protect him if he continued to obey. Abraham did not have to make sure that God would keep His promise; he did not have to remind God of the word He had spoken. In fact, it was unnecessary for Abram to fear that God would forget the covenant He had made. God was faithful — faithful to provide and faithful to protect.

GOD ALWAYS KEEP HIS PROMISES

The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. – Genesis 21:1-2

What a great reminder to start off our day! God will do exactly as He promises at the exact time He said He would do it. He is faithful and He can be trusted. He is omnipotent and nothing is too difficult for Him. He is the God who does the impossible, providing for us over and over again. May the Spirit of God remind you of that truth throughout today.

He counts the stars and calls them all by name. How great is our Lord!
His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension…
The Lord’s delight is in those who fear him,
those who put their hope in his unfailing love. – Psalm 147:4-5,11

Today’s Reading: Malachi 3-4

A QUESTION OF PRIORITIES

Not only did Malachi speak to them about their lack of sincerity, he also spoke of how unconfessed sin can stand in the way of God accepting our worship. He wants us to live out our worship with a sincere desire to please Him and to bring Him glory, not just to feel good about ourselves or to look good in the eyes of other people. This includes our relationships…

Here is another thing you do. You cover the Lord’s altars with tears, weeping and groaning because he pays no attention to your offerings and doesn’t accept them with pleasure. You cry out, “Why doesn’t the Lord accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the Lord witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows. – Malachi 2:13-14

A QUESTION OF LOYALTY

Their pattern of disloyalty was blocking their sacrifice and worship to God. The same is true for us today. Putting God first includes the vows we made before Him, whether that’s marriage or anything else we have promised to do. God wants us to put Him first and to give Him first place in our lives. If we pour ourselves out to God, He will pour out blessings on us.

“Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’
Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!
But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’
You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. – Malachi 3:7b-12

SINCERITY — Are we going through the motions of our Christian walk or are we sincerely following Him? Our sacrifices and offerings to God are defiled when we give less than our best, less than He requires of us. He wants us to give from our heart, genuinely showing our love and faithfulness. He wants us to give in order to please Him, not to make ourselves feel good or to satisfy the minimum requirement of being a member of a congregation.

QUALITY — Are we giving our best or doing our best with what God has entrusted to us? Are we hanging on tight to this life or do we live as if everything we have comes from Him and belongs to Him?

LOYALTY — Are we committed to God? Are we faithfully following through on all we have promised before God and to God? Do our priorities reflect our loyal commitment to God?

Lord, open our eyes to the areas of our lives where we are cheating you, and therefore cheating ourselves of your blessings. Lord, open the windows of heaven for us. Pour out a blessing so great we will not have enough room to take it in! Lord, bless us with your presence today and reveal where we have lost our spiritual fervor. Place in us the desires of your heart, and cause us to stir at what moves you. We love you, Lord. We want to live sincerely — everyday giving our best to you, and remaining forever committed to who you have called us to be. Everything we do, we long to do for you and not just to please ourselves. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Malachi 1-2

A QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITY

Do you ever question why we have some of our traditions or why we do the same things year after year? Is it our responsibility to carry on these traditions? After God’s people returned to Jerusalem, they asked the question: “Should we continue to mourn and fast each summer on the anniversary of the Temple’s destruction, as we have done for so many years?”

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies sent me this message in reply: “Say to all your people and your priests, ‘During these seventy years of exile, when you fasted and mourned in the summer and in early autumn, was it really for me that you were fasting? And even now in your holy festivals, aren’t you eating and drinking just to please yourselves?” – Zechariah 7:3-6

A QUESTION OF SINCERITY

A question of responsibility was answered by a question of sincerity. God was exposing the heart of His people. I have to admit I feel a little exposed as well. How often do we go through the motions on a Sunday morning? Has the worship become more about what pleases us or are we sincerely offering our praise to God so that He will be pleased? How often do religious holidays such as Christmas and Easter become more about family traditions, food and gifts than about God? Has our time with God become more of a routine than a growing relationship with Christ?

The prophet Malachi also spoke of the tendency of God’s people to offer less than their best to God — to sacrifice for the sake of fulfilling a ritual instead of making a true sacrifice of the heart.

A QUESTION OF SACRIFICE

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to the priests: “A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name!
But you ask, ‘How have we ever shown contempt for your name?’
You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar.
Then you ask, ‘How have we defiled the sacrifices?’
You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

“Go ahead, beg God to be merciful to you! But when you bring that kind of offering, why should he show you any favor at all?” asks the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

“How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “and I will not accept your offerings… – Malachi 1:6-10

Wow! That was a really strong message. Can you hear the heart of God behind this reprimand? Would you be surprised to hear the Lord say the same thing to us today? Our sacrifices and offerings to God are defiled when we give less than our best. He wants us to give from our heart, genuinely showing our love and faithfulness. He wants us to give to please Him and not to please ourselves, or to satisfy the minimum requirement of being a member of a congregation.

Father God, give us a fresh passion for the rituals of our faith. May we open your word with a new desire to hear from you. May we sing your praises with a heart that is open to the moving of your Spirit. Lord, wake us up from the habit of prayer and give us a passion for sincerely calling out to you. We are ready to stop looking for the minimum requirement and start chasing after you with a sincere heart willing to love sacrificially. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Nehemiah 10-13

Nehemiah, now the governor of Judah, led the rest of the people in an oath to God. They had separated themselves from the pagan influences in their lives and their desire was to obey the law God had given Moses. They promised to carefully follow all of the commands, regulations and decrees of God — the One whom they were intentionally recognizing as their Lord. They made these promises:

• Not to let their children marry pagan spouses
• To honor the Sabbath
• To pay a Temple tax in order to reestablish the work of the church
• To create an active schedule for the priests
• To bring the first part of every harvest to the Lord (tithe)
• To never again neglect the Temple of their God

THEY WERE READY TO DO CHURCH!!!

They were ready for a new season in their life. They were ready to cast out the old ways of neglecting the church and ignoring God, and instead actively serve God and make the Temple the center of their culture or way of life. The leaders of Judah would live in Jerusalem and a tenth of the people would be chosen by sacred lots to establish their home within the walls of the city, while the rest of the people would establish their homes outside of the walls.

Nehemiah called for a dedication of the completed wall around Jerusalem. The ceremony included singers and instruments, while the leaders stood on top of the wall and gave thanks by forming two large choirs. There were cymbals, harps, lyres & trumpets being played as one choir headed south along the wall and the other headed north. Led by Ezra, they walked around the city and then met together at the Temple, playing and singing loudly.

Many sacrifices were offered on that joyous day, for God had given the people cause for great joy. The women and children also participated in the celebration, and the joy of the people of Jerusalem could be heard far away. – Nehemiah 12:43

THEY WERE READY TO WORSHIP GOD!

God’s people were reestablishing a new life in Jerusalem that centered around the life of the church. They brought their tithes and took joy in the work of the priests and Levites. They brought back the custom of having choir directors to lead the choirs in hymns of praise and thanksgiving, just as they had done long ago. The book of Moses was read and those who were enemies of God were sent away.

God’s people were in a good place. They were worshiping Him and passionate about the work of the church. But, as we have seen over and over again throughout the Old Testament, the celebration did not last long and the fickle hearts of the Israelites were once again distracted.

Nehemiah returned to the king of Babylon for a time and then made his way back to Jerusalem. When he arrived, he found that the people had carelessly allowed sin back into the church, and many of the Levites had returned to their work in the fields instead of working for the church. The people were working on the Sabbath and some had began to marry foreign wives again.

“Wasn’t this exactly what led King Solomon of Israel into sin?” I demanded. “There was no king from any nation who could compare to him, and God loved him and made him king over all Israel. But even he was led into sin by his foreign wives. How could you even think of committing this sinful deed and acting unfaithfully toward God by marrying foreign women?” – Nehemiah 13:26-27

This passage is a good reminder to us of how we grieve the heart of God when we make promises to follow and obey Him only to go back to our past behaviors or sinful habits. It is good for us to go through a time of repentance and celebration of our salvation, but we must stay in that place. We must remain faithful to the God who asked us not to do some things and then commanded us to do other things.

May we remain genuine in our desire to serve God and consistent in living out our walk with Him. May we remain in a place of celebration and joy. Lord, give us a love for your church and a passion for the work of the church so that you can be glorified through our worship of you and through the living out of our faith. Help us to follow you with a growing passion and loyal obedience. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Joel 2-3

The day of the Lord is near,
the day when destruction comes from the Almighty.
How terrible that day will be! – Joel 1:5

Sound the trumpet in Jerusalem!
Raise the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let everyone tremble in fear
because the day of the Lord is upon us.
It is a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of thick clouds and deep blackness.
Suddenly, like dawn spreading across the mountains,
a great and mighty army appears.
Nothing like it has been seen before
or will ever be seen again…
The Lord is at the head of the column.
He leads them with a shout.
This is his mighty army,
and they follow his orders.
The day of the Lord is an awesome, terrible thing.
Who can possibly survive? – Joel 2:1-2,11

Joel prophesied about the Day of the Lord, describing it as terrible. The army will march in and the people will run in fear. The sun will stop shining and the stars will burn out. The Lord and His army will come to confront the evil in this world, defeating the enemy and saving the world.

“The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?” – Joel 2:11

But more powerful than the judgment that is coming is the mercy and love of our God. He is calling HIs people to repentance. He longs to send them a blessing instead of a curse.

That is why the Lord says,
“Turn to me now, while there is time.
Give me your hearts.
Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
Don’t tear your clothing in your grief,
but tear your hearts instead.”
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
He is eager to relent and not punish. – Joel 2:12-13

“Then, after doing all those things,
I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your old men will dream dreams,
and your young men will see visions.
In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on servants—men and women alike.” – Joel 2:28-29

We serve a God of grace. When we come to him in sincere repentance, genuinely living for Him and submitting to His lordship, we experience His unmerited favor.

We serve a God of compassion. He not not only forgives us, but He also gives us His Spirit to dwell within us. This presence transforms us into the people He created us to be.

We serve a God of mercy. And where there is mercy, hope can be found. Our God is gracious and compassionate, full of mercy and love.

We serve a holy God. He sees the devastation that sin is wreaking in this world, and He will come one day to bring judgment. He will right all wrongs and renew His covenant with all of creation. Praise God, restoration will come after the judgment. He will reign in this world and in our hearts.

Lord, we thank you for this reminder of your very nature — that you are a God of grace, a God of compassion, and a God of mercy. We recognize your holiness and declare that you are good! You are greater than the evil that is so predominant in this world, and the story of your victory has already been written. Thank you for renewing us when we come to you in repentance, not just with a willingness to restore us but with a longing to extend mercy to sinners. Thank you for the gift of your spirit that daily guides us and transforms us, empowering us to walk in obedience to your Lordship.

Thousands upon thousands are waiting in the valley of decision.
There the day of the Lord will soon arrive.
The sun and moon will grow dark,
and the stars will no longer shine.
The Lord’s voice will roar from Zion
and thunder from Jerusalem,
and the heavens and the earth will shake.
But the Lord will be a refuge for his people,
a strong fortress for the people of Israel. – Joel 3:14-16

Today’s Reading: Joel 1

Tell your children about it in the years to come, and let your children tell their children. Pass the story down from generation to generation. – Joel 1:3

This hard time that you are going through, this time of loss and mourning over what you used to have, pay attention, for this is a time you need to tell your children about and they need to tell their children. For generations, your children will have these stories to share with their children — times when the Lord has provided and brought you out of the valley of trouble. These stories of God’s provision will provide a gateway of hope for future generations, when they find themselves going through a difficult time (Hosea 2:15).

REMEMBER HIS FAITHFULNESS AND PASS THE STORIES DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.

The grapevines have dried up, and the fig trees have withered. The pomegranate trees, palm trees, and apple trees – all the fruit trees – have dried up. And the people’s joy has dried up with them. – Joel 1:12

At times, everything that has sustained you and all that has given you pleasure will be taken from you. It will dry up and with it your joy. You will begin to wonder, “Is God really a merciful and loving God? Am I being punished for something?” God responds to your need for answers and confirms His identity to you. He instructs you on how to respond to this difficult time — this time of uncertainty.

Announce a time of fasting; call the people together for a solemn meeting. Bring the leaders and all the people of the land into the Temple of the Lord your God, and cry out to him there. – Joel 1:14

This is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of a curse. Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to the Lord your God as before. – Joel 2:12-14

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!
Now I am deeply discouraged, BUT I WILL REMEMBER YOU…
each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me,
and through each night I sing his songs,
praying to God who gives me life. – Psalm 42:5-8

God confirms who He is. Look back at all He has done for you over the years. Remember His faithfulness to you and know with confidence that He has more blessings to pour into your life.

REMEMBER HIS FAITHFULNESS AND PASS THE STORIES DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.

Surely the Lord has done great things! Don’t be afraid, my people. Be glad now and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things. Don’t be afraid, you animals of the field, for the wilderness pastures will soon be green. The trees will again be filled with fruit; fig trees and grapevines will be loaded down once more. Rejoice, you people of Jerusalem! Rejoice in the Lord your God! For the rain he sends demonstrates his faithfulness. Once more the autumn rains will come, as well as the rains of spring. The threshing floor will again be piled high with grain, and the presses will overflow with new wine and olive oil.

The Lord says, “I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you. Once again you will have all the food you want and you will praise the Lord your God, who does these miracles for you. – Joel 2:20b-26a

REMEMBER HIS FAITHFULNESS AND PASS THE STORIES DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.

God is in the middle of all of this. None of this has caught Him by surprise. Trust that He has great plans for your future. Believe that your joy will not be dry forever but that you will rejoice again in how your God has provided during a difficult time. You will have a story of God’s provision and His redemption to tell your children and your children’s children.

Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts;
let them proclaim your power.
I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor
and your wonderful miracles.
Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;
I will proclaim your greatness.
Everyone will SHARE THE STORY of your wonderful goodness;
they will sing with joy about your righteousness. – Psalm 145:4-7

REMEMBER HIS FAITHFULNESS AND PASS THE STORIES DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.

Today’s Reading: Nehemiah 8-9, Psalm 107 & 135

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!
Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. – Psalm 107:1-2

It is important for us to take time to think through our story and be prepared to tell it as it fits into God’s greater story. What is your before and what is your after? What journey has God brought you on and how does that affect the way you live your life today?

HAS THE LORD REDEEMED YOU? THEN TELL YOUR STORY!

Over and over again in the Old Testament, a prophet would gather the people of Israel together and review their story once more. This was often at a time of confession and repentance — a time of re-entering a covenant with God. Nehemiah retold the story of God’s people in a beautiful way in chapter nine, reminding us today of how wonderful and full of grace God is. Nehemiah reminded God’s people of where pride and stubborn hearts had led them in previous years; how God had forgiven them time and time again, providing for them and blessing them abundantly.

“May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise! You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you…And you have done what you promised, for you are always true to your word.

“You saw the misery of our ancestors in Egypt and you heard their cries from beside the Red Sea. You displayed miraculous signs and wonders against Pharoah…You have a glorious reputation that has never been forgotten. You divided the sea for your people so they could walk through on dry land!…You led our ancestors by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night so that they could find their way.

“You came down at Mount Sinai and spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and instructions…And you commanded them, through Moses your servant, to obey all your commands, decrees and instructions.

“You gave them bread from heaven when they were hungry and water from the rock when they were thirsty. You commanded them to go and take possession of the land you had sworn to give them.

“But our ancestors were proud and stubborn, and they paid no attention to your commands…But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them, even when they made an idol shaped like a calf…In your great mercy, you did not abandon them to die in the wilderness…You made their descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and brought them into the land you had promised their ancestors.

“They went in and took possession of the land. You subdued whole nations before them…Our ancestors captured fortified cities and fertile land. They took over houses full of good things, with cisterns already dug and vineyards and olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate until they were full and grew fat and enjoyed themselves in all your blessings.

“But DESPITE ALL THIS, they were disobedient and rebelled against the Lord…But in their time of trouble they cried out to you, and you heard them from heaven. In your great mercy, you sent them liberators who rescued them from their enemies…

“You warned them to return to your Law, but they became proud and obstinate and disobeyed your commands…In your love, you were patient with them for many years…What a gracious and merciful God you are!… – Nehemiah 9:5-31

Then God’s people said, “In view of all this, we are making a solemn promise and putting it in writing…” (9:38) They were recognizing that they deserved all of the punishment they had received and yet God had forgiven them over and over again. They were once more making a covenant with God — a covenant full of written promises to obey the Law of God and God’s commands.

HAS THE LORD REDEEMED YOU? THEN TELL YOUR STORY!

If we were to write out our stories today, what would they say? My story would include several of the same elements of the prayer told in Nehemiah: praise and worship, recognition of God’s generosity and blessings, confession of my own tendency to be prideful and stubborn, stories of God’s forgiveness and grace, testimony of God’s provision and second chances, and promises to put God first in my life. I never want to forget what God has done for me. I want to learn from my past mistakes in order to not repeat my errors, but instead grow stronger in my walk.

“Am I as filled to overflowing with love for Jesus as I was in the beginning, when I went out of my way to prove my devotion to Him? Is that where I am now, or have I chosen man’s wisdom over true love for Him?…” – Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest:

What has God commanded me to do? Have I done it? What prayers has He answered for me over the years? How has He faithfully kept His promises? May God’s faithfulness always be a reminder and a stimulant to the growth of my own faith. May time in His presence stimulate my spiritual growth much more than the caffeine in my morning coffee.