Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 (NRSV)
Read Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 8all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. Verse 2Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. Verse 3He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. Verse 5And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Verse 6Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Verse 8So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
Verse 9And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Verse 10Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
Devotion
Nehemiah had a huge role in the Jews’ return from Babylonian exile. Imagine the exiles returning home. Most felt like foreigners. They must have longed to become unified again.
What would you have wanted most in that situation? Shelter, food—something else? Remarkably, they hungered most for God’s Word. Ezra gathered all the people, read and interpreted it for many hours. Their reaction was to weep for their sins, but also to joyfully respond to their source of hope. In a world of fear and despair, rejoicing may seem foolish. Yet verse10 reminds us not to embrace doom and gloom. Our hope and strength are rooted in God’s promises.
When asked to sponsor two Haitian refugees, I did so willingly. Their fear remains, but their faith is strong. While their present and future are uncertain, they choose to remember, “for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Prayer
Help us, O Lord, on this day we honor Martin Luther King, Jr., to remember that, whatever our present circumstances, your promises are greater than our fears. May we be assured that you are the source of true joy. Amen.
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