Share Life: 40 days of Prayer

Day 32, March 29, 2007

Nehemiah 13:23-31

Wow! This is one of those passages from the scriptures that troubles me. When I read: “I contended with them, and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair…”, I pretty much lose all respect for the person about whom this is written. Why would someone behave this way? As in so many other places in the Bible that are problematic, commentators aren’t very helpful. So I determine to live with the tension of unanswered questions and seek to discover what can be learned in this setting and context.

What I appreciate is the passion that Nehemiah has for holiness. He’s seen previous generations hold cavalier attitudes towards sin, seen the judgment of God and the misery of Israel that came about because of it, and he’s determined that it won’t happen again. It’s easy for us, in our insulated environment, to be incredulous regarding Nehemiah’s strong reaction. But if you had faced drought, famine, exile, and the slaughter of your children because of some national sin, maybe you’d get excited when the same sins started showing up in the new Jerusalem.

In a world where tolerance is the order of the day, I wonder what I tolerate in my life that God wants me to release? What sins continue to shape me? With which idols have I made peace? These are vital questions to answer, because failure to take sin seriously, now as then, has consequences.

God of our whole being, show us, we pray, any truce made with sin, any compromise that has had the effect of compromising your name. Reveal to us that which we need to see in order for your life to be more clearly seen through us and among us. Thank you for your patience with us, and your mercy. Give us responsive hearts, that when your reveal areas of needed adjustment in our lives, we might have the grace to follow you.

Ask God, in particular, to reveal His heart regarding how you are using the life that He’s given you – your body, your sexuality, your money, your relationships, your talents and vocation, your family – all belong to Him. May He continue to shepherd us so that, in each area, we come increasingly to represent God’s heart.

posted by Richard Dahlstrom @ 10:53 AM