Nehemiah 10-11

May 26

Nehemiah 10-11

The Israelites decided they needed to get serious about living in obedience to God. Unless we set our mind to following the Lord with our whole heart, we will be tossed to and fro by the winds of the world. Though the neighboring people brought merchandise to sell on the Sabbath, the Israelites made a commitment not to buy on the Sabbath or any holy day. It is easy to say you will resist going shopping on the Sabbath; it is another story when you realize you are out of milk for your cereal the next day. Making a commitment to obedience is also a commitment to have to deal with some inconveniences.

The Israelites also committed to give toward the operation of the temple and to provide for the Levites, priests, and those in need. God had instructed Israel in these practices when He met Moses on Mt. Sinai, but giving when you are just getting by is difficult. Giving when things are going well is difficult. We struggle with giving because we are afraid we will not have enough for ourselves, especially if we give what we get first. God instructs us to give not for His benefit but for ours. Once the Israelites made the commitment to follow God with their whole hearts, the giving part became a natural response.

When we trust God, not just say we trust God, we alter our behavior, and we begin to walk in obedience not for fear or because we feel like we have to, but because we want to because of the relationship with have with the Lord. For New Testament Christians we are empowered to live the lives God has called us to live by the empowering of the Holy Spirit. When we really trust God we can trust Him to provide all our needs as He uses us to meet the needs of others through our giving.