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| Sandhill Cranes migrating North. Spring is on its way! |
Having
a “Lord” in the life of a resident of the United States is not politically
something to which we easily relate. “Lords” are sort of a British or possibly
Middle Eastern ruling class thing. Who reigns over your life—or are you so
totally self-sufficient that you don’t rely on anyone else?
Continuing
to look for Jesus in the Old Testament I’ve found Him as the redeemer for Israel
as they rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem as recorded in the Book of Nehemiah.
Is
that “rebuilding” related in any way to the “rebuilding” or renewing of our covenant
with God in our own hearts? The Israelites rebuilt the wall under Nehemiah’s
guidance and then with Ezra, the priest, they rededicated their lives to the
LORD. That was a big deal.
Then
Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were
interpreting for the people said to them, "Don't mourn or weep on such a
day as this! For today is a sacred day before the LORD your God." For the
people had all been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. And
Nehemiah continued, "Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet
drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is
a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the
LORD is your strength!" And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling
them, "Hush! Don't weep! For this is a sacred day." So the people
went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to
celebrate with great joy because they had heard God's words and understood
them. Nehemiah 8:9-12
Ezra gave them hope and encouragement…the
joy of the Lord is your strength. We can claim that promise, too. The Lord
gives us hope, joy, peace, strength when we need it. When we need Him, He is
always with us. Actually, He has given us all of the fruit of the Spirit: love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and
self-control and we have those to fight against our enemies like—depression,
anger, disappointment, loss, frustration, sadness, guilt, unmet expectations,
and eventually, death. Jesus is my eternal hope. Is He yours? You can begin a
new season with a reason—and find your hope in the Savior.
Then
as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of
the people and said to them, "Don't be afraid of the enemy! Remember the
Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your
daughters, your wives, and your homes!" When our enemies heard that we
knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our
work on the wall. But from then on, only half my men worked while the other
half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. The leaders
stationed themselves behind the people of Judah who were building the wall. The
laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand
holding a weapon. …When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it
is sounding. Then our God will fight for us!" Nehemiah 4:14-17, 20
Then
the leaders of the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah,
Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—called out to the people: "Stand up and
praise the LORD your God, for he lives from everlasting to everlasting!"
Then they prayed: "May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted
above all blessing and praise! "You alone are the LORD. You made the skies
and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and
everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship
you. Nehemiah
9:5-6
Prayer
– Lord, it was Your plan for the wall to be rebuilt around Jerusalem, to bring
the Jewish Babylonian captives back to the Promised Land…and You were there
with them. Please rebuild the wall surrounding our hearts and lives that we
would see Your strength and love as You fight for us—defeating the enemies of
our very souls. Thank you.
Meditate.
Consider God’s guidance in scripture. Read God’s word and listen to what He is
saying.
Verses
of Salvation ~ In that day, everyone in the land of Judah will sing this song:
Our city is strong! We are surrounded by the walls of God's salvation.
Open the gates to all who are righteous; allow the faithful to enter. You will
keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on
you! Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock. Isaiah 26:1-4 (Underlined for
emphasis.)
© 2025 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All
rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless
otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale
House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M.
Hunacek
Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com
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