Party...don't weep
This scene is fascinating to me. To have all the residents of Jerusalem gathered together and hungry for the Word of the Lord. It must have been an amazing time. They didn't have to be told to "go to church". They were eager to go listen to the Bible being read. And the response...they were all spontaneously weeping. In fact, their weeping was so great that Ezra and Nehemiah had to comfort the people and tell them to go and enjoy themselves...the ESV says that they told them to go and drink sweet wine! Here is this mass of people who are overcome with grief at their past disobedience to God and the religious rulers tell them to go party! What is going on?? I believe that these people have learned the key concept for faithfully following after the Lord....dependence on Him. Through this trial of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, they had no choice but to depend on God. Their lives and families were threatened, and they had no where to turn but to God. And God came through. He protected them from their enemies and allowed them to finish the wall. Through that experience, they learned that God is trustworthy.
Our major problem today is that we've forgotten how to depend on God. We've got our homes and cars all insured, our financial planning done for the next 5 years, and we're looking forward to retirement. Everything is set...so why do we need God? That was all stripped away for these people. There was no financial security, so they had to depend on the Lord. This is perhaps why this current economic downturn is a good thing. It may have the effect of stripping away all our previously established security nets so that finally we are forced to depend on God. And as we do, I think we'll find that it will be natural to listen more closely to His Word, and perhaps even shed a tear or two at our past disobedience.
Our major problem today is that we've forgotten how to depend on God. We've got our homes and cars all insured, our financial planning done for the next 5 years, and we're looking forward to retirement. Everything is set...so why do we need God? That was all stripped away for these people. There was no financial security, so they had to depend on the Lord. This is perhaps why this current economic downturn is a good thing. It may have the effect of stripping away all our previously established security nets so that finally we are forced to depend on God. And as we do, I think we'll find that it will be natural to listen more closely to His Word, and perhaps even shed a tear or two at our past disobedience.
