Read: Read Nehemiah 9
Devotion: I am sinful. Getting married has been a real eye-opener to this truth. If you’re married then you know what I’m talking about. Before I began living with another person I thought I was pretty humble, patient, kind, understanding, and selfless. Not that I was pridefully arrogant thinking that I was perfect in all those things, but that I thought I exhibited those godly characteristics well enough. I’m a Youth Minister dealing with squirrely teenagers every week, so I have to be pretty patient, right?
Then I got married and began living with my wife and I was instantly confronted with just how prideful, impatient, unkind, stubborn, and selfish I really am. My wife and I don’t have any children yet, but I’ve heard through the grapevine that that is another phase in a person’s life when the depth of their sinfulness is further exposed. I’m looking forward to it.
It’s not fun being confronted with your own sin. It’s awful. But, as we grow in the knowledge of our depravity, not only do we have the grand opportunity to put more of our sin to death, but we also come to know more of God’s abundant grace toward us.
When we sin, especially when we sin willfully, we rightfully feel ashamed, convicted, and sorrowful. But with these emotions can also come fearful doubts. “Will Christ continue to be my Advocate even though I keep on sinning?” “How can God still love me when I’ve done X or Y?” Here’s the most important question: “Is God’s grace in Christ sufficient to cover even these sins?” And what we have to remind ourselves of is that the answer to that question is a wholehearted, “Yes!”
Nehemiah 9 concerns the remnant in Jerusalem who had come back from the seventy year exile. They had just finished rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem, and they were recommitting themselves to the Lord and His covenants. Of people who have a potential reason to fear that God’s grace would not be sufficient to save them, these people would be at the top of the list. They say as much in this chapter.
For all of Israel’s history with God, they had been responding to his grace and mercy with utter disdain and contempt. Although God called Abraham out of all the peoples on the earth and made an everlasting covenant with him (9:6-8), delivered them from bondage to Egypt through the Red Sea (vv. 9-11), led them to Sinai where He graciously gave them his Law (vv. 12-15), sustained them with manna and water in the wilderness (vv. 20-21), gave them the land with cities that they did not build and crops that they did not plant (vv. 22-25), and sent them his prophets to call them back to Him when they were wayward (vv. 28-30), Israel was presumptuous and disobedient (vv. 16-17), rebelled against his law, killed his prophets (v. 26), and continued to run after idols and away from Him (vv. 28-30). Surely God is not that gracious?
Isn’t that what we might think if we were in their shoes? And yet, what has their own history shown? Despite their idolatry, God in his great mercies “did not forsake them in the wilderness” (v. 19). Even though they were disobedient and which led to God delivering them into the hands of their enemies, when they cried out to Him in the midst of their suffering, God heard them from heaven and according to His great mercies gave them saviors (v. 27). When they continued to do evil he sent his prophets to them to warn them (v. 29). Although they killed his prophets, he did not utterly destroy them (v. 31).
Wow! What can we say to this? God’s grace certainly does not give us a license to sin and presume on on God’s kindness. Notice from v. 1 that they are clothed in sackcloth and ashes. Israel is in mourning over their sin. But also notice their confidence. They are not confident in themselves, assuming that God would never let them go because they are too lovely. No, they’re assurance is in God’s faithfulness and abundant grace. After recounting their history, they conclude this: “You have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly” (v. 33). God’s grace is abundant. Mourn over your sin, but do not despair. Hold fast to Christ, trusting in his faithfulness alone for your salvation.
Ponder and Pray: Consider how knowing of God’s abundant grace should fuel our repentance? How can we avoid presuming on His grace? Finish by thanking God for his immeasurable grace.
