Joy and Celebration – Nehemiah 8:1-10

The contrast between our times and Ezra’s is startling. A remnant of the Jewish nation has just returned from 70 years of captivity. They have gathered in a unified spirit of hunger and contrition, keenly aware their captivity was a result of ignoring Yahweh. They asked that the Word of God be read to them. They stood to honor the Word. They wept as its truth pierced their hearts. The officials encouraged them not to mourn and weep rather…..

              to celebrate, compose their heart in joy, for the joy of the Lord is their strength.

The United states are not unified. Our nation is split and Washington DC, our governing mind, is the bi-polar consequence. The nations of the world wait in four year cycles to see which personality they will be dealing with. On the surface of things, it appears public life is shaped by debates, elections and legislation. However, beneath the never-ending and futile political rancor our divide is a spiritual one that involves the Word of God.

At a foundational level, there is a collective attitude within a nation that either honors the authority of scripture or it doesn’t. Instead of asking that the scriptures be honored and read, our nation has decided the Bible and its Author are infringing on our personal rights. How ironic that a nation such as ours, with Christian roots, would wilt in its regard for the Bible. The courts of our land regularly take sides against God, claiming he interferers with the affairs of our nation.

We are not a nation just returning from captivity. More accurately, we are a nation on its way into captivity. Proverbs 22:7 says, “The borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” We are a people and a nation drunk on credit. In our foggy state of denial, we have permitted our bi-polar Father, in Washington DC, to leverage the future of our nation for our current comfort. Could the American people elect someone who openly acknowledged our addiction? Its very unpopular to tell someone in denial they are an addict and then ask them for their vote. I think most of us see where this is going.

Whether we will admit it or not, our elected officials are a reflection of us. Most Americans, even though we think of ourselves as Christian, do not consider the scriptures as authoritative. The truth of God’s Word is not piercing the heart of our nation because it has not pierced the heart of the Church. What can we do if politics and government will not, or cannot, save us?

Check out: What Leading With Vision Really Means by Erika Andersen.
(www.fastcompany.com/3003293/what-leading-vision-really-means) From that article …

People want leaders who look beyond today. They want to have the sense there is a master plan to carry them through whatever short-term trials and tribulations arise….They look to the leader to articulate, in a compelling way, a clear and positive future state (more than 4 years) toward which they can direct their efforts. When leaders focus only on the current crisis or this quarter’s numbers, (or on making promises to get elected) it seems to us that they’re more interested in maintaining the status quo or protecting themselves than in creating a successful future. They are not seen as leaders. (parentheses mine) From; Welcome to America – The Former Land of the Free)

Today’s post may seem like a departure from my normal practice of writing about the heart, claiming it as the root of all fruit, good and bad. I’m not. I’m saying our nation’s heart is the sum of our individual hearts and it is our individual hearts which will ultimately determine our personal and corporate destiny.

While it is tempting to wring our hands in despair, concerned the pilot on this flight is drunk and is most certainly going to crash the plane, we will be better off to not storm the cockpit. Instead we must shift our dependency and focus to God – the One with whom we have to do. We seem to forget that as big and impressive as our Father in Washington is, he is not ultimately in charge. You might be asking, “So, as a Christian what can I do to make a difference?” Those were almost precisely the words Jeremiah Lamphier, a mere layman and businessman asked, sparking an awakening in 1857. (Check out The Fulton Street Revival.) Reviewing historical events such as this can awaken our faith that all things are possible with God.

To this nation, who once declared her independence from England and has more recently declared her independence from God, the Spirit would say, “Compose your hearts in contrition that you may once again find God’s favor. The Lord will then restore your land. Then you shall celebrate.” Where shall we find our hope? On our knees. There, we shall compose our hearts before the One with whom we will individually and corporately answer to.

Father, please save America in behalf of a righteous remnant. Awaken hearts who will camp in your thrown room, asking for this nation’s soul. Awaken the hearts of the Ezra’s and Nehemiah’s. May your Word pierce the veil of darkness which has blinded our nation to your love and goodness. Have mercy upon us Lord. For Jesus’ name sake. Amen.

 

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