Nehemiah 9:16-20
16 “But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments. 17 They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. 18 Even when they had made for themselves a golden calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed great blasphemies, 19 you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud to lead them in the way did not depart from them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to light for them the way by which they should go. 20 You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst.
Chapter 9 of Nehemiah is a recounting of the history of Israel, of how God was faithful to them and blessed them, but they continued to rebel against God. The history of Israel is the history of all of us, for we all have experienced the cycles of blessing and sin. Certainly as believers who have struggled with our sexuality, we have seen God's hand upon us, yet we have turned away from God and indulged our private passions. This story of repeating sin is sad, yet the good news is that God does not abandon us. He is "gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love" (verse 17). Even now, He is waiting for us to come to Him, to receive His forgiveness and to begin anew.
Lord, thank you for your great mercy, patience, and love toward me.
16 “But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments. 17 They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. 18 Even when they had made for themselves a golden calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed great blasphemies, 19 you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud to lead them in the way did not depart from them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to light for them the way by which they should go. 20 You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst.
Chapter 9 of Nehemiah is a recounting of the history of Israel, of how God was faithful to them and blessed them, but they continued to rebel against God. The history of Israel is the history of all of us, for we all have experienced the cycles of blessing and sin. Certainly as believers who have struggled with our sexuality, we have seen God's hand upon us, yet we have turned away from God and indulged our private passions. This story of repeating sin is sad, yet the good news is that God does not abandon us. He is "gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love" (verse 17). Even now, He is waiting for us to come to Him, to receive His forgiveness and to begin anew.
Lord, thank you for your great mercy, patience, and love toward me.