Do you ever read a passage of Scripture and then have to sit for a few moments just soaking in all the goodness you just read? Man oh man, I get so excited about those times. Those times make me feel like I'm getting to know the heart of my Father just a little bit more. I just finished up reading Nehemiah and chapter nine is an absolutely beautiful passage declaring who God is and what He has done. Soak up His goodness and faithfulness while you read this: Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the Lord their God. On the stairs of the Levites stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani; and they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God. Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Stand up and bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. God is creator; and He is sustainer.
God is faithful; and He is righteous. God sees affliction; and He hears the cries of the afflicted. God leads His people; and He comes down to meet His people. God equips His people; and He provides for His people's every need. God is ready to forgive; and He does not forsake. God is slow to anger; and He abounds in steadfast love. God is gracious; and He is merciful. God is good; and He gives blessings. God saves; and He delivers. God is great; and He is mighty; and He is awesome. God is God. And there is a beautiful freedom in following the commandments of this God. His ways are pure and good and lovely and holy. And when we wander away, just like the Israelites so often did, we can know that God warns us, forgives us, delivers us, saves us. He is always with us. To the afflicted ones: He sees you and hears your cries. To the rebellious ones: He is merciful and ready to forgive you. To the discouraged ones: His love for you has no bounds and He has not forsaken you. To the anxious ones: He is leading you and He remains in control. To the tired ones: He will sustain you and provide for you. So tonight, friends, be reminded that God is God; He is so very good and ever so faithful; His ways are well worth following. Press on, brothers and sisters. God is using it all for our good and His glory. And He is righteous in all that He does. May we rest confidently in that truth tonight.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Categories
All
Archives
January 2019
Sarah ConnatserSarah loves Jesus and her family and is passionate about addressing the urgent spiritual and physical needs around the world. She is the wife of Spencer and mama of Katherine and Claire, and they live in Nashville, TN. She runs a photography business with her husband and writes in order to offer encouragement and invite others to choose grace, joy, and gratitude in the adventure and the mundane. She loves traveling and reading; she will choose unsweet tea over sweet and bootcut jeans over skinny; and she is all sorts of awkward with small talk but thrives with deep conversations. |