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Topic: Be A Patriots!
[DCLM Daily Manna 24 May 2020 Daily Devotional by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi]
Text: Nehemiah 1:1-11
1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.
7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.
10 Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
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11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.
Key Verse: “And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.” – (Nehemiah 1:4)
MESSAGE:
The history of the children of Israel is one that has continued to provide instructive principles for believers today. Jerusalem occupies a central place in their entire history. The city symbolises divine relationship, sanctuary, royalty, national identity, heritage, and everything that has to do with their entire life as a people and nation.
Also Read: Open Heaven 24 May 2020 – Your Father’s Blessings
In our passage today, Nehemiah shows us the unique place Jerusalem occupies in the heart of every Jew. He must have remembered the words of Jeremiah: “Ye that have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still… and let Jerusalem come into your mind” (Jeremiah 51:50).
Although he was in a comfortable position in the palace, he considered it a sin to forget Jerusalem, the city of God, the place of worship. He enquired after the welfare of the city and the remnants. He was gravely saddened when he learnt that “…the remnant… are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire” (verse 3).
Nehemiah’s love for his birthplace and fellow Jews made him to develop serious burden which could not be shaken off by circumstances around him. His passion and love for his nation brought about the vision and strategies as well as commitment to do something to improve the situation through prayers and practical involvement.
Are you burdened about the state of your country, church or local assembly where you worship? Do you even care about fellow Christians? Or you just complain and murmur about every situation? Learn from Nehemiah who was patriotic enough to fast, pray and take appropriate actions to reverse the negative trends in Jerusalem.
Thought For The Day: Out of sight is not out of mind when your heart is where your treasure is.
The Bible In One Year:dclm 1 Samuel 10-11
