Tag: governor

4.c. Because you were grieved into repenting.

Nehemiah 8:9  And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

2 Chronicles 34:21    “Go, inquire of the LORD for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do according to all that is written in this book.”

Romans 3:20    For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

2 Corinthians 7:9-11     As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.  For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

When we come to God’s word with a desire for it to speak into our life we will be blessed with understanding.  We will begin to understand God’s holiness, love, power, might, mercy, grace, and wrath.  We will begin to expose ourselves, our thoughts, our actions, and our intents to the light of His word.  In this light, we find our heart softened and it is at this point we begin our humble reverence and obedience to it.  Our growth and maturity do not find an end point.  We come to the light of His word each day and are continuously revealed more and more about the Holiness of God, the love of Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit.  Thankfully this is never ending.  Morning by morning new mercies of God’s grace and love are revealed.  His word will renew, strengthen, refresh, encourage, and protect our heart, mind, and soul from being pulled in by selfish and worldly influences.  Spend time His word.  Seek and desire it.  Commit to it.  Believe and trust it.  Be in obedience to it.

4. I also persevered in the work

Nehemiah 5:14  Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

For 12 years Nehemiah remained faithful in his generosity.  He did not take the normal allowance of the governor.  He did this because he wanted to do the work God has put before him in such a way that honored God.  He did not want in any way to because of hardship beyond that of rebuilding Jerusalem.

Each day we are given the choice to live in such a way that honors and glorifies Jesus Christ.  We are given the choice to walk humbly before our God.  We are given the choice to seek Him through His word.  We are given the choice to desire to do His perfect will for our life.  We are given choice to be generous for His honor.  We are given choice to love the unloved.  We are given choice to forgive.  We are given choice to follow and obey.  We are given choice to be courageous in our walk with Him.  We are given choice to reflect the light of Jesus Christ in a fallen world.  We are given choice on how we spend our time and what we think about.  Each day we choose to either draw nearer to Jesus Christ or slide away from Him.

Nehemiah did not hold fast to His commitment by being complacent and neglectful in His walk with God.  His walk with God was first, His trust in God was true, and His love for God was deep.  His eyes were securely fixed on doing that which God had given Him to do and to do it in such a way that God was honored and glorified.