“When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before God of heaven. I said,
‘I beseech You, O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses.” Nehemiah 1:1-7
The Words from the recent Supreme Court decisions unleashed upon our nation an endless stream of comments spewing over the airwaves and released a floodgate of posts on social media. As the judgments of man collide with the judgment of God, cultural Christianity is being called to account for what they truly believe. The fundamental choice in life is to choose between wisdom and foolishness, between a fear of God and the fear of man. Some will choose wisely. Some will play the fool.
The purification of the church is never a pretty picture, but it is part of God’s plan for Spiritual Awakening. Those who are determined to come down on the right side of history, while landing on the wrong side of God’s commandments are in store for a rude awakening. Those who remain faithful to God’s commandments are in store for a Great Awakening. Make sure you stick the landing.
One of the least popular passages of Scripture in the Bible may very well be, “Judgment begins at the house of God.” The birth of the next Great Awakening won’t begin in The White House, the schoolhouse or the state house. It will begin at your house.
Nehemiah’s response to the words that came to him about the condition of his nation brought him to great sorrow and sadness, but they led him to personal repentance. This is always the right response for God’s people to a national tragedy.
Fixing the blame where it belongs is the key to fixing the problem. Repentance comes from the mind of God. It is not meant to punish or shame. It unlocks the door to personal as well as corporate revival, by renewing and refreshing companionship between The Father and His children.
Nehemiah didn’t try to pray down the wrath of God on the enemies of his nation. He was moved to pray and to intercede for the people of Jerusalem. To be sure, they were suffering under the hands of their enemies, but he didn’t voice a prayer for blessing, but a prayer of confessing.
“…confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses.”
The point of repentance is where the next Great Awakening begins. This is the turning point. It is not a matter of taking a nation back, but turning a nation back to God, one heart at a time. The contemporary church may try to postpone it or deflect it, but the ancient message from the book of Nehemiah calls the church to do it. Nehemiah didn’t try to blame others for the condition of his nation. He held himself accountable, and said, “I and my father’s house have sinned.”
In America, a tearless, prayerless church has presided over the creation of a form of Christianity that values style over substance, and image over integrity. Before God heals a land, He holds His people accountable to express a spirit of humility, not a spirit of independence.
Recently fireworks exploded all over the land celebrating the birth of our nation. They are always spectacular, drawing “oohs” and “ahhs” from delighted crowds of people watching in the darkness. Rockets fired into the air paint vivid, beautiful, multicolored lines upon a velvet backdrop, but they only last a few seconds. Even so, the experience can be an inspiration. The author of our National Anthem found this to be true.
“The rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof to the sight, that our flag was still there.” Francis Scott Key
The Words heard by Nehemiah broke his heart. They drove him to prayer, but not to despair. He was desperate for a solution, not despondent over the bad report. He turned to God. This is the only way for God’s people to respond when they discover they have lost their way.
The church of Jesus Christ is not a rocket thrown into the air, to briefly light the night. The church is built upon The Rock, and called to be just like their Savior, “The Light of the world.”
NOTE TO SELF: Take the words that have come your way, and darkened your nation, and place them in God’s hands. Allow Him to shed His light on any area of your life that has contributed to the weakening of your church’s or your nation’s respect for His Word. Repent of it. Restore consistent companionship with Him. This world is dark, and His Word will still light the way home. While you are in it, light it up. Like the old songs says, “Let it shine!. Let it shine! Let it shine!”
TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!