Nehemiah - The man God uses - Part 5b

Nehemiah 1:6-7

I am compelled to continue the devotions on this man. The last devotion was penned on 1st May where we considered the characteristics of a man God uses, drawing lessons from the life of this government official Nehemiah. The qualities we considered so far are:
  • Conscientious
  • Concerned
  • Compassion
  • Conviction
In the last session we saw firstly conviction comes as a result of a clear understanding of who God is. He is a covenant keeping God. He wants and loves to bless His people. Secondly convictions results from a clear understanding of one's self. In verse 6-7 Nehemiah realises not only has his forefathers sinned but he himself is also included in the category. Nehemiah was not responsible for the exile of God's people nor for the destruction of the temple and its walls. Yet he realised that sin was the key issue between God and man, including his own sin and very humbly includes himself. Until and unless one realises his sinful nature and the need for a saviour, evangelism or the cross bears no meaning. Having realised the holiness of God, Nehemiah now realises his desperation, that sin has separated the people including himself from God. Sin is the root cause of all human misery. All the poverty, all the misunderstanding, all the wars, all the deaths and all the misery in the word can be traced to one root cause - SIN. Nehemiah is saying that they rightly deserve what they have been going though. Many time the tendency is to charge God for being unfair, "why me God"... "what did I do". Not Nehemiah. He realised God was not the one who is responsible for the destruction nor for the current state of affairs. "We have sinned, we have acted wickedly, we have not obeyed. Its my fault, its our fault, we are responsible."

This understanding will propel one to go to God for help. Having realised his sinfulness, his inadequacy, his inability, Nehemiah goes to God and says...."Please help". We cannot do this alone, we need You. He relies on God's promise , above all he relies on God himself and says "Please answer my prayer"

If we ever want to be passionate for the Lord, have a clear understanding of who God is and who we really are. When we turn to God, then the words in Jer 33:3 will be come a reality, "Call unto me and I will answer thee and show you great and mighty things that thou knowest not". Amen


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