This is a long chapter. It recounts their whole history from Abraham all the way down to their present day: back in their Land, but still in servitude to the king in Babylon.
Nehemiah prays, However, You are just in all that has come upon us. For You have dealt with us faithfully, but we have acted wickedly.
That's how it goes. When things are going well for us, we tend to forget that it's God Who has blessed us, and we're drawn away from Him. Then we mess up and find ourselves in trouble because we choose to go our own way instead. So we cry out for help, and in His mercy He come to the rescue.
This scenario has played out in cycles all through their history; and indeed, throughout all of human history. God is good to reveal Himself and His ways to us, but we are proud and want to decide for ourselves (how the serpent deceived Eve, to want to make her own choices).
So we are drawn away from our God Who made us, by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (I John 2:16); wanting right now all the things of the World that we need and want. This World is very enticing and it seduces us into thinking in ways that are contrary to God's good for us.
In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are afixing their seals to it (v.38).
When our focus is on right here, right now, rather than on the Lord our Source; then we can easily get caught up into the "rat race" of "keeping up with the Joneses," competing with one another. Or just wanting to satisfy our own personal comfort and pleasure; not considering that we live only a few moments here, no matter how long our lives are, and we can't take it with us.
So we need to be careful how we live our lives. We need to pay attention to how we're thinking. We need to be sure that we're believing what God has actually said to us, and take Him seriously.
From what we believe, we think and have our attitudes; and our thinking and attitudes produce the words we say and the way we live our lives. That's why we can't afford to let ourselves slip into sin, into anything that doesn't come up to the high standards our Lord sets for us, that bulls-eye we miss. (The word "sin" is an archery term that refers to "missing the mark.")
The Israelites had God's Word; His commandments, statutes, precepts and laws. But we have God's Holy Spirit living inside us, in our spirits. So we have no excuse. He has promised to "never leave us or forsake us" (Hebrews 13:5) while we're here in this World (Matthew 28:20), to teach us and guide us and make sure that we end up where God wants us to. But the journey we each take to get there can be rocky or smooth, depending on our choices.
When my road seems kind of rocky, I must examine my own heart to see if my choices lately have been selfish or self-centered, if I missed an opportunity to bless a brother or sister. Or, if I've done right, and it's the enemy trying to ruffle my feathers. So I will need to confess, or run from temptation, or resist the devil; whatever the situation calls for.
Father, thank You that You have given me Your own Holy Spirit to live in my spirit, making it alive. Thank You that Your Spirit is always with me, even when I grieve Him (Ephesians 4:30). Open my eyes to see, my ears to hear, and my mind to understand what is going on around me and in my own life. Give me Your discernment to be able to choose the right, and strengthen me when the right is the hard choice.
Help us all, Father, all Your children, to follow You closely in Your footsteps. Hold on to us securely, as You have promised to do, that we would be faithful to You and Your ways, not turning to the right or to the left, not running ahead or lagging behind, not wandering off or pulling away.
Thank You for Your Holy Spirit to seal us up for Yourself, for that Day when Your Redemption will be finished (Ephesians 1:13-14), and we will experience Resurrection Life without the hindrance of this flesh (II Corinthians 5:4-5), to serve You continually, and enjoy the pleasure of You forever.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
