So many issues feel so big in our world! The horror of what’s happening in Ukraine, the enormity of the energy crisis, the uncertainties of Covid 19. These and other things are just such massive problems that they feel beyond us!
It was a very different scenario but we saw on Sunday morning as Nehemiah and the remnant of God’s people faced a situation that felt way beyond them – yet in their case it was the result of historic rejection of the LORD both by them and their ancestors!
Their response is deeply humbling: as we saw in Chapter 9 last Sunday and hope to see in Chapter 10 next Sunday, yet it starts with the wonderful assertion that they worship the LORD:
“…who is from everlasting to everlasting.”
“Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. 6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.” (Neh 9:5-6)
Starting with the understanding that everything depends on Him, is to Him, from Him and for Him might sound strange, but actually it’s deeply reassuring because of what He is like. As they looked back in history they could see that He didn’t treat them as they deserved but rather He was patient, faithful, forgiving, compassionate and gracious.
For us living 2500 years later, we have the even greater perspective of having seen all of these things about the LORD demonstrated in the Lord Jesus: His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. We too worship the LORD!
Spencer Shaw