The Urim and Thummim - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ezra 2:62-63,

"These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. The governor ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there was a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim."

There were certain men who could not provide their "family records" to prove their inclusion as priests when the first group of returnees headed for the homeland. They were excluded from participation in the priesthood until there was a priest who could settle the matter with the Urim and Thummim.

The Urim and Thummim were a part of the accouterments the high priest in Israel wore. In Exodus 28:29-30 we read, "Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord. Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron's heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord."

The Urim and Thummim (some think the words mean "Lights and Perfections") were used as a means to determine the rightful answer for questions that might be asked - questions that required insight or information from the Lord otherwise unavailable.

It really is quite fascinating the Lord provided for such a tool in the high priest's toolbox. Apart from Jewish tradition, I'm not aware that anyone knows for sure what the objects were, what exactly they looked like and specifically how they were used, just that they were used in appealing to the Lord to settle questions.

It calls to mind another passage of Scripture which is equally fascinating, "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord." Proverbs 16:33.

Some time check out Joshua 7:16-18 and 1 Samuel 14:36-43... very interesting!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Smitten Or Bitten? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ezra 1:5,

"Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem."

Following a seventy year captivity in Babylon, the Jews were allowed by the Persian king Cyrus to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the temple. In verses 2-4 we read his proclamation, "The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem."

We read in verse one that the Lord had "moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia" to bring about the release of the captives to return. Ezra then tells us that all "whose heart God had moved" prepared to go.

Clearly, Cyrus' heart had been manipulated by the Lord - he moved the heart of Cyrus. Is that true of the captives that prepared to go, those "whose heart God had moved"?

Or, as a second understanding of this account, was it only those who prepared to return to Jerusalem those who had a heart for God in the first place? Those who embraced the Lord in their lives apart from the move of God to bring his people back to their homeland, those whose hearts yearned for the Lord in their lives as they learned of him, as they were taught by Ezra and others?

Cyrus was manipulated, but what about these returnees in the book of Ezra? Might they be of the type Paul speaks of from the days of Elijah in Romans 11, where Paul quotes the Lord telling Elijah that in spite of appearances, there was a remnant who clung to God and did not follow the ways of the other Jews in their idolatry? These had a heart for the Lord. They were not artificially manipulated by God to follow him, but did so because they willingly gave their hearts to the Lord on their own accord.

Perhaps I'm just splitting hairs here, but it does bring to mind something of today where something/someone else may manipulate. Many may be manipulated in their religion. They attend church because their family expects them to. Some may be pressured by friends or neighbors, or tradition, the commanding voice of a childhood Sunday School teacher, or whatever....

Blessed is the one whose heart is smitten by the Lord -- for who the Lord is, what he is like, the wonderful things he has done. Herein is the domain of faith.

Are we smitten by the Lord, or bitten by manipulation?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Lord Knows It All - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 13:31b,

"Remember me with favor, my God."

On four separate occasions in this chapter, Nehemiah asks God to remember. Three times, in a positive way, Nehemiah requests the Lord to bring to his remembrance the good he had done and in one negative way, he asks the Lord to bring to his remembrance the evil of those who had intermarried with Gentiles.

When anyone asks me to remember something, they know of my ability to forget things. When God is asked to remember something, since he never forgets anything, it is actually a call to God to bring his attention to one thing or another.

I suspect in my life, there are many more things I'd rather not call God's attention to, as opposed to the good and positive things I might wish he would be attentive to. However, the reality is that nothing escapes God's attention. In Hebrews 4:13 we read, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

God is aware of all things, he knows all things, he is attentive to all things. Here is why I am so thankful to God for sending his Son to die for me, that I might be forgiven the things I have done that would otherwise preclude me from his presence.

If it were not for Jesus Christ, where would I be? If it were not for Jesus Christ, what hope would I have? Were it not for Jesus Christ, how could life hold any promise for me?

Because Jesus Christ died for me, I have a place in his family, a place at his table. Because Jesus Christ died for me I have an abundant eternal life to look forward to, filled with all the enchanting pleasures at his right hand awaiting those who have embraced him in faith!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Where Great Joy Is to be Found! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 12:43,

"And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away."

"... rejoicing because God had given them great joy." Here is an observation of the Jews in Jerusalem during Nehemiah's day. How apt for the church today!

Should not those who have experienced the great blessings of God be of the most joyful? People who are most joyful are those who have attained a sense of well-being, success and the good fortune of being blessed by God. They are those who possess the greatest of delights: the certainty of eternal life with all the pleasures to be had at the right hand of God (see Psalm 16:11).

Those who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith should be the most joyful because God gives great joy. As Peter observes, "Though you have not seen him [Jesus Christ], you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1:8.

God continues to give great joy today, just as he did to the Jews in Nehemiah's day!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Reflecting One of God's Traits - Ruminating in the Word of God

"The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 11:23,

"The musicians were under the king's orders, which regulated their daily activity."

This chapter in Nehemiah points to a high level of organization, of coherent function and unity among the returning Jews under Nehemiah. A clear picture of systematic planning with united effort presents itself in comments such as:

"Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns. The people commended all who volunteered to live in Jerusalem." Verses 1-2.

"These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem..." Verse 3.

"Joel son of Zikri was their chief officer, and Judah son of Hassenuah was over the New Quarter of the city...." Verses 9-10.

"... the official in charge of the house of God, and their associates, who carried on work for the temple..." Verses 11-12.

"Shabbethai and Jozabad, two of the heads of the Levites, who had charge of the outside work of the house of God; Mattaniah son of Mika, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the director who led in thanksgiving and prayer..." Verses 16-17.

... and Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of them." Verse 21.

"The musicians were under the king's orders, which regulated their daily activity." Verse 23.

"Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was the king's agent in all affairs relating to the people." Verse 24.

Other terms, such as "men of standing", "The chief officer of the Levites", "musicians responsible for the service of the house of God" all point to the themes of structure and organization.

Perhaps this is not such a profound theological point, but it appears to me that God's people at this time were reflecting something of the very nature of our God to a certain degree. We read in 1 Corinthians 14:32, "The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord's people."

As Paul points out, God is not a God of disorder, but of order. Consequently his people should reflect the very nature of God by carrying on his agenda of redemption in a manner consistent with him.

Nehemiah and his people certainly appeared to do so.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Are We Committed? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 10:1,

"In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it."

The "this" in the above verse refers to a very dramatic and moving prayer of confession of sins of the nation of Israel to God provided us in chapter 9. Following the confession, and while the all the Jews who had returned to Israel where present, they made a "binding agreement", a written commitment to follow the ways of the Lord. So much of a commitment, that the governor (Nehemiah), the officials and leaders, the Levites all notarized the written binding agreement with their seals. I believe this was a heartfelt and sincere action on their part to express to God and one another their commitment to him.

While I don't know that notarized documents in the church today are needed or even helpful to express our commitment to the Lord, this passage does raise the question of our commitments to him. Have we committed ourselves to the Lord personally? As a fellowship? What is the nature of that commitment?

I suspect there have been many attempts in the past to articulate commitments to the Lord, only to find that down the road they really took on a somewhat artificial and insincere aspect. A heartfelt commitment by a group of people to honor the Lord in the form of, say, a church covenant, that sort of thing. While communicating a true devotion at one time, in later years it becomes something less than heartfelt and sincere.

While that may be true, one thing that is clear to me is that, as Paul puts it, "Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God." Romans 8:14. A document may not be needed but our hearts are. If we do not feel a genuine commitment to live for our Savior who gave his life that we might have life, it might be best to take stock of our relationship with the Lord.

All God's people "should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." 1 Peter 4:19.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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God Keeps His Promises Because He Is Righteous - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 9:8,

"You have kept your promise because you are righteous."

This acknowledgment of God's righteousness is found in the prayer we read in Nehemiah 9. It observes that it is the righteousness of the Lord that causes him to be a promise keeper.

Paul tells us in Romans 4:21 that Abraham was fully persuaded that God had the power to do what he promised and it was this exact persuasion, expressing his faith that brought Abraham a place in God's family.

God keeps his promises because God is righteous. His greatest promise to us all is that we can have eternal life if we embrace him in faith, just like Abraham. In John 5:24 Jesus said, "... whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life."

Because God is righteous, he keeps his promises and his greatest promise to us is eternal life if we place our faith and trust in him.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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A Shocking Exposure - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 8:2-3,

"So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law."

Here is the proper, the appropriate, and the consummate use of Scripture. Ezra read the Scriptures ("the Law") to the people. His purpose was to expose them to what it is God has to say.

We are told that "all who were able to understand" had the Scriptures read to them - twice, verse 2 and also verse 3. We also read that the people "listened attentively". The reaction of the people was, "all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law." Verse 9.

As a result of the grief the people felt after having listened to what God had to say in the Scriptures, Nehemiah told them, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Verse 10. The folks found cause for God's treatment of them.

Bibles have a lot of uses. They act as bookends on the bookshelves of some. They gather dust on the coffee tables of others. Some Bibles are used for genealogical and other family documentation (sort of a filing cabinet for "important" documents). Some Bibles are used for ammunition for the special "spiritual one-up-man-ship" we see from time to time as verses are "cherry picked". Some people feel the Scriptures are reserved for the dusty theology of pin-headed theologians who walk the halls of academia. Some feel the Scriptures are the sole provenance of those "in the ministry". After all, we make up the laity, right? Us "pew-run" Christians do well when we are told what the Scriptures have to say, rather than "trudging" through them ourselves.

Nehemiah observes for us the true purpose of the Scriptures. We all need to be exposed to the Scriptures. In Nehemiah's and Ezra's day the printing press was still awaiting invention and scrolls were too costly for folks to purchase. Hence, Ezra's public reading from one set of scrolls.

However, today we can afford our Bibles and we can read them for ourselves to see what is really said within them.

If you are like many, you might just be shocked to find what the Scriptures really have to say... In Nehemiah's day, they brought an entire nation to tears.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Fear of the Lord - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 7:2,

"I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do."

The Persian king, Artaxerxes, appointed Nehemiah as governor of Judea and as such Nehemiah appointed Hanani and Hananiah positions in Jerusalem. I note the observation Nehemiah makes about Hananiah, he "feared God more than most people do."

What does it mean to fear God? In short it means to hold God in the reverence and the awe he is due. We learn some things about fearing the Lord in Proverbs:

It is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom, 1:7, 9:10

To fear the Lord is a choice we make, 1:29

To fear the Lord is to hate evil, 8:13

It leads to life and it adds length to life, 19:23, 10:27

Those who fear the Lord "walk uprightly", 14:2

Wise people shun evil and fear the Lord, 14:6

Those who fear the Lord have a secure fortress, 14:26

It is a fountain of life that turns one from the snares of death, 14:27

Wisdom's instruction is to fear the Lord, 15:33

Through it we avoid evil, 16:6

Humility is the fear of the Lord, bringing riches, honor and life, 22:4

We are to be zealous for the fear of the Lord, 23:17

It looks to me that fearing the Lord is is an important issue. After reading Proverbs, I see it is a very important issue! Little else in life holds its importance. Hananiah was recognized by Nehemiah as one who feared God more than most, so our level of "the fear of the Lord" resides on a measuring stick in our lives. From Proverbs 1:29, we learn it is a choice we make - it doesn't just happen, like, say, being born with blue eyes or brown eyes. It is something we have control over.

Perhaps we best learn what we can about the fear of the Lord (since it involves a choice each of us make) to insure we build it into our lives. I would suggest the book of Proverbs as a start.

What do you think? Does it sound important to you?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Nehemiah's Example - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 6:10-13,

"One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, 'Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you.' But I said, 'Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!' I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me."

This exchange between Shemaiah and Nehemiah was an attempt to discredit Nehemiah in the eyes of the Jews who worked on the walls and gates of Jerusalem. We find out that Tobiah and Sanballat, enemies of Nehemiah who opposed the restoration of Jerusalem (and, hence, God's agenda) had hired Shemaiah to deceive Nehemiah.

The work of restoring the walls and gates of Jerusalem was an important task to reestablish Jerusalem, and the work was dependent upon Nehemiah's leadership.Those who opposed the restoration of Jerusalem knew if Nehemiah was discredited among the workers, they could bring the project to a halt.

Rather than giving in to fear, Nehemiah demonstrated wisdom and resolve in the work and refused be be deceived. To be successful the work needed Nehemiah at the helm providing leadership, not cowering in the temple afraid of a nonexistent threat. In this Nehemiah displayed his unwavering faith in the Lord and wisdom to not be deterred by deceit.

"Team Cain" is always at work to oppose the plans of God. It seems to me the more important a project is that furthers God's agenda, the greater it will be opposed by them. Nehemiah's example to us should help us prepare and plan for that opposition as we participate in the Lord's efforts to build his kingdom in this age.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Enslaving Free People - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 5:8,

"'As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!' They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say."

Nehemiah excoriated nobles and officials in Jerusalem because they were charging their fellow countrymen interest that crippled them financially. In order for many countrymen to pay the taxes required of them to the King and also to put food on the table, many had to mortgage their fields, vineyards and homes. As a result many were having to indenture themselves and their children as slaves due to the interest these nobles and officials were charging.

In a fit of righteous anger, Nehemiah called together these nobles and officials and pointed out that while he and others were "buying back" Jewish slaves from the Gentiles to return and live freely with their fellow Jews, these Jewish leaders were creating more slaves!

The officials were ashamed of themselves and agreed to return everything back to those they had exploited with the interest imposed upon them.

This reminds me of the do-gooders and law-keepers in the church today. Where Jesus Christ has redeemed us from the law, released us from our slavery to both sin and the law God gave Moses, and set us free, we have those among us who seek to place us right back in bondage.

In Romans 8:1-4 we read, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

However, from the do-gooders within the church, I have often heard something on the order of "Hold on there, pilgrim!" You have to this, that, or the other thing! I recall in order to join many a church, the "covenant" of that church had to be signed as something to be adhered to. Those church covenants always included a list of do's and don'ts. Those do's and don'ts always added up to Christians, already redeemed by the Jesus Christ's sacrifice of atonement, freeing us from both sin and the law, freeing us to live new lives for Jesus Christ, are now indentured to law all over again.

Where Paul says in Romans 7:6, "But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code", these do gooders attempt to make us slaves all over again. Just like the officials and nobles attempted during Nehemiah's day!

While many of these church covenants have fallen out of fashion these days, unfortunately the do-gooders have not.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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"Team Cain" Opposes "Team Abel" - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 4:7-8,

"When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it."

Here we see "Team Cain" plotting to attack "Team Abel" for reestablishing Jerusalem's viability by rebuilding the city's walls and gates. "Team Abel" led by Nehemiah in this case, were the workers the Lord used to help prepare Jerusalem for the eventual arrival of the Son of God to offer himself as a sacrifice of atonement for all mankind.

As I have mentioned elsewhere, I view those who are animated by the spiritual forces of darkness as "Team Cain", those who always oppose the things of God, particularly his agenda in any given age. "Team Abel", on the other hand, are those who work together with the Lord as he builds his kingdom on planet Earth.

Earlier in the chapter we read of these same characters, "When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, 'What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?' Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, 'What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!'" Nehemiah 4:1-3.

John told us to expect just this type of opposition if we engage ourselves in the things of God, "Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you." 1 John 3:12-13.

While this kind of opposition might be daunting, it should not be for those of us who are in Christ Jesus. We are on the winning team! I am reminded of Psalm 2:1-6:

"Why do the nations conspire
    and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
    against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
'Let us break their chains
    and throw off their shackles.'

The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
    the Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in his anger
    and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
'I have installed my king
    on Zion, my holy mountain.'"

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Not Afraid To Get Their Hands Dirty - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 3:1,

"Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate."

I note the beginning of this chapter recounts that the high priest and other priests participated in the rebuilding of the walls and gates of Jerusalem. The chapter documents the various people who participated in the rebuild. Members of other professions referenced are: goldsmiths, a perfume maker, district rulers of Jerusalem, Levites who ministered at the temple, temple servants and merchants.

Those who worked on an important task to insure the survival of Jerusalem, the repair of the city's walls and gates, had other occupations. I'm quite certain the occupational expertise of jewelers and goldsmiths had little to do with rebuilding walls and gates. Nonetheless, we see them all rolling up their sleeves, getting their hands dirty and getting the work done.

I do believe I have heard way too much talk over the years about what a person's "spiritual gift" may be in the context of how they might participate in the work of God building his kingdom - spiritual gifts that may not require hard work and dirty hands. Certainly we read in Scripture how God provides enablements or "gifts" of talents and abilities to build up the body of Christ. However, I don't find anywhere in the Scriptures that any enablement by the Spirit is cause to avoid "the dirty work" in helping out in those roles that may hold less honor or may be more inconvenient, or might get our hands dirty (in a figurative sense) , in relation to building God's kingdom.

Just an observation. We read in verse 5 of the "nobles" of Tekoa  that "would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors." Lets make sure we do not fail to help in God's agenda of building his kingdom because we "don't have that gift" or simply because we do not want to do the hard work or get our hands dirty.

I love Paul's perspective, "We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands.When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment." 1 Corinthians 4:10-13. Here is a man who was willing to do the dirty work of building God's kingdom as an apostle of Jesus Christ. But I believe he did so because he knew the Lord well and desired to participate in accomplishing whatever was needed to further God's agenda.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Seek the Lord First! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 2:4-5,

"The king said to me, 'What is it you want?' Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, 'If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.'"

After hearing that the Jews in Jerusalem were "in great trouble and distress" and that the gates and walls of the city were destroyed, Nehemiah was greatly moved to do something about it.

Nehemiah was cupbearer to the Persian king, Artaxerxes, and he decided to approach the king and ask for permission to go to Jerusalem to lead the effort in repairing the walls and gates. Walls and gates were imperative at the time to provide protection for a city, and maintained its status as a viable locality.

When King Artaxerxes noticed the sadness in Nehemiah's face from the report he had received, Artaxerxes asked Nehemiah about it. Nehemiah confesses he was "very much afraid", verse 2, because if his response to the king made him unhappy, it could have cost him his head.

I note the approach Nehemiah took. When he was convinced he needed to do something about this report of the problems in Jerusalem, he approached "the God of heaven" prior to approaching the king and asking him for support, materials and safe passage so he could go and lead the job of rebuilding the walls and gates of Jerusalem.

Perhaps we need to take a clue from Nehemiah here. I feel there are many important things the Lord wants us to do while we are here in this life. Following Nehemiah's strategy, those things might be best preceded by us going to the Lord in prayer and asking for help, asking for the things we need, asking for the cooperation and support we require and asking for success. Nehemiah did and we learn he accomplished what he needed.

"Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you." Psalm 9:10. "May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, 'The Lord is great!'" Psalm 40:16. "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." Psalm 105:4.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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On Loving God - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 1:5,

"Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments..."

This preamble to Nehemiah's prayer observes God's faithfulness toward those who love him and do what he says. God maintains his "covenant of love" with those who love him.

Paul likewise acknowledges God's faithfulness toward those who love him, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28. Here Paul tells us that God is faithful to work good in our lives, even through what we may consider to be the bad things in life: "trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword", verse 35. Those bad things will never separate us from the love of Jesus Christ as God works them for our good.

There are wonderful rewards for those who love God. It is my firm belief that anyone who has made the effort to know God, love God. To become aware of the character and nature of God, to become aware of the many amazing things our God has done, to become aware of his love for us and the sacrifice he made of his Son for us compels the most ardent love any of us can have for him.

In Jesus' prayer to the Father we learn that we have been invited to this love, which, most astonishingly, is the same love the Father and the Son share among themselves, "I [Jesus Christ] have made you [Father] known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." John 17:26.

If at any time any of us perceive a lack of love in our hearts for God, it indicates a need we have to avail ourselves of the revelation God has made of himself within the pages of his word, the Bible. As Jesus said, he will continue to make the Father known to his followers such that the love we have for God may flourish and express itself as the very same love God the Father and God the Son share among themselves together with the Holy Spirit.

To know God is to love God. Many are the blessings that come our way when we take the time to know him!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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How To Honor God Today - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ezra 10:11,

"Now honor the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will."

This imperative, given by Ezra the priest to the returnees in Jerusalem and Judah, was to address their return to intermarrying the surrounding Gentiles with their idols. The chasing after idols was the massive cause for the Lord's horrific judgment of all Israel.

The Lord had his agenda of bringing his Son, Jesus Christ into the world through the human agency of the people of Israel together with the other attending aspects of his plan of redeeming all mankind. Their compulsion to chase after the idols of the surrounding Gentiles was in contradiction of God's purpose, and, so, God acted by destroying first the northern ten tribes by the Assyrians and later, the southern two by the Babylonians.

Now that the Jews were being allowed to return to their homeland in order to continue God's redemptive plan, Ezra was devastated to learn these returnees were yet again exposing themselves to idolatry. He called all in Judah to come to Jerusalem at the threat of losing their property. Once assembled, Ezra laid it down - do God's will!

I find that an apt imperative for us today. God has his agenda of redemption on track today. Indeed, the purpose of this age is to build God's kingdom. Jesus Christ made that crystal clear during his earthly ministry prior to sacrificing himself on that miserable cross to enable God's redemption to take place within the confines of God's justice.

Our purpose today in this age, each and every one of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith, is to participate in God's agenda, to slip into the harness of our own responsibilities in God's redemption of mankind and pull the load God expects of us all. Just as Ezra told the Jews in his day to "do his [God's] will", we too need to do the same.

I am reminded of Ephesians 2:10, "We are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." This admonition from Paul is not offered us for navel-gazing in arguments over how efficacious is salvation by faith and whether we need to add to Christ's atonement on the cross for our sins by doing "good works". No, Paul is telling us that those of us who have been saved by faith now have a job. That job is to further the work God is doing in building his kingdom. We all have a part to play, each and every one of us.

Just as in Ezra's imperative to honor the Lord by doing his will, this is how we honor the Lord for all he has done in bringing us into his kingdom... we have a job to do!

Let's "get 'er done!"

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Stages or Waves in the Movements of God - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ezra 9:4b,

"I [Ezra] sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice."

Just following his arrival to Jerusalem, Ezra received news that the earlier returnees from Babylon had begun to intermarry with the surrounding peoples with their "detestable practices", verses 1-2. Upon hearing this Ezra abased himself by tearing his tunic and cloak, and pulled hair from his head and beard, and sat there until the evening sacrifice, verse 3.

We read in first person that Ezra fell on his knees and spread out his hands to the Lord and prayed a very heartfelt prayer of confession in behalf of the nation. Here is a very significant purpose for the arrival of Ezra to the homeland. He will be instrumental in turning the nation from the errors that caused it to be conquered by Assyria and Babylon in the first place.

I find it fascinating that the Lord was now using Jewish resources available from the captivity in Babylon to provide much needed construction and correction now that the Jews began to return to their homeland. We are provided the accounts of three returns as recorded in Ezra-Nehemiah associated with Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah.

With these three returns, I get the feeling of three "waves" or movements of God to address the rebuilding of the temple, Ezra and his reforms, and the rebuilding of walls and gates. What I learn from this is that it appears to me that at times the Lord will do things in stages (as in this example of reestablishing his people in Jerusalem), while taking much needed time for things to "gel" in a way that leads to a next step.

I wonder if the Lord is working that way today? How might we recognize that?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.