Thursday, September 18: Nehemiah 9- Feasting on the Word.

According to the text, this is the 24^th day of the month. It seems like they have been reading and praying since the first of the month. Reading of the law has brought them to confession. Verse 2-3: ...They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the LORD their God.

I am blown away. Never in all my years have I witnessed and being a part of a move like this one, where word, prayer, confession consume a group of God’s people.

Glorious.

Dangerous.

Being in the presence of God reveals our need and our brokenness.

As they recounted the history of Israel, the reality of our human brokenness is apparent. Over and over again the people fail. What was true then is true today.

We constantly need God. We constantly fail to live up to God’s intentions. We constantly need infusions of God’s grace.

And God gives it to us time and time again.

It was before the God of the universe that they stood and read and confessed and read and confessed all the more.

Lord, God, as I read I am drawn to confess… my lack, my shortcomings, my failures and sins. You alone are perfect. I am filled with imperfections and everyday some leak out;

In the way I speak to others,

In the thoughts I have about others

In my selfish attitudes

In my …

Lord, forgive me for I have sinned against You and others. I fall upon Your mercy and grace. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.