Read Nehemiah 9:1-5
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. (Nehemiah 9:3)
I recently attended a traditional wedding in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. The groomsmen wore tuxedoes and the bridesmaids all wore beautiful gowns. Everything was perfectly in place and the attendees were anxious for the moment when the stunning bride would appear. When the wedding march was finally played, we all stood to our feet to get a glimpse of the bride and her father. After some initial comments from the minister, we all sat back down in comfortable padded chairs.
In contrast, I am always inspired and challenged when I read these verses that tell how the Israelites stood for hours as the word of God was read aloud and how they spent hours in confession and worship. What a renewal of heart and commitment this day must have been! Deep in my soul, I long to have this kind of passion for worship and reading God’s word. I long for my daily time of Bible reading and prayer to transform and turn my heart towards God.
God, give me a passion to spend time each day in worship, scripture reading, and prayer. May my life reflect the transforming power of time spent with You! In Jesus’ name, amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment