Wednesday, October 20: Nehemiah 8- Starved for the Word

I try to imagine the scene.  Now that the community is established –walls secured, temple activities and sacrifices reinstituted with appropriate priests and Levites and homes in working order- they attend to the Word. In an elaborate ceremony, Ezra, the priest, reads the Word for hours as the people listen attentively. Like parched desert hikers the people soak themselves in the water of the Word. Reading and instruction were the order of the morning, celebrating the gift of God’s word filled the rest of the day.

On the second day, verse 13, they read about the feast of booths.  They realized that it was to be observed beginning that day and immediately obeyed.

This is where the Lord speaks to me.  Obedience, rather that emotion, is the true indicator of faithfulness. On the spot, the leaders call for and the people respond obediently…

In my imagining, God is smiling.  His people are home where they belong, physically and spiritually. They are in Jerusalem living His word…

Lord, to be home with You. To live under Your umbrella of grace and be living Your word. Lord God, as I sit this morning in Your word, cause it to live within me. Help me to obey and follow Your word and Your voice all of my life… In and through Jesus, I pray. Amen.