"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace." - Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV I was sitting in church one Wednesday night, overwhelmed with anger. Someone had hurt me, and I felt they weren't acting the way they should. I thought my sins weren't as bad as theirs, so I felt justified. But then, the Lord gently reminded me that I was wrong. I realized I was judging this person, and that was a sin in itself. God is holy, and my behavior was no better than theirs. I felt convicted and was moved to tears. The Holy Spirit whispered to me, "If you really love them, you would pray for their best, regardless of their behavior." That realization hit me hard. I admitted to myself that I didn’t truly love them as I claimed. My actions showed that I wanted them to act a certain way for my benefit. I remembered the verses from Numbers 6 and knew I needed to pray for G...
A few years ago, I decided to switch my smartphone for a simpler “dumb” phone. Before that, I remember the anticipation of seeing those little three dots, indicating the person on the other end was typing a response. Now, imagine multiplying that anxiety over a long, arduous 900-mile camel ride.
Nehemiah 1:2–3
Let's travel back to December of 445 BC. Meet Nehemiah, a trusted advisor to the king in the Persian capital, Susa (modern-day Shush, Iran). You might recall Susa from the book of Esther, which took place about 20 years earlier. Nehemiah had been waiting for news, and it was worse than expected. His brother Hanani, whose name means “The Lord Is Gracious,” informed him that “those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace” (v. 3). Even Jerusalem’s wall lay in ruins.
The people Hanani referred to were those left in Jerusalem and the surrounding area when the rest were exiled to Babylon (see 2 Kings 24–25). As we’ll learn later, not everyone left in Jerusalem truly followed God, but God’s people in the city clearly needed comfort and protection, for their wall had been demolished.
In ancient times, city walls were essential. They shielded inhabitants from invaders and other dangers. Without a wall and controlled gates, God’s people lived in constant threat of attack.
Reflect and Act:
Think back to a time when you felt disgraced, under attack, or in trouble. Maybe that’s your situation today. How did God meet your need? Consider reaching out to someone who might be feeling like you once felt, and like Nehemiah, offer them comfort today.
Pray with Us:
We affirm these truths: Only You are holy, You alone see the depths of our hearts, and Your love runs deeper still. Even in disgrace, we rely on Your love and forgiveness. We trust You and depend on You, Lord! Amen.