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Dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus, part of the growing repentance remnant, cleansing as His Bride, getting ready for His soon return as our Bridegroom-----
Nehemiah 12:43
“For God had given the people cause for great joy. The women and children also participated in the celebration, and the joy of the people of Jerusalem could be heard far away.”
Filled with Joy through Repentance and Reformation
By: Alison Marsh, The Canberra Declaration
Intention
To see the Church rise in obedience to God and follow him with all their hearts.
Reflection
I have just finished reading the last few chapters of the book of Nehemiah in the Chronological Bible. Historically, Nehemiah is the last book of the Old Testament, so it is very significant.
In Nehemiah 12:43, it really amazed me that the people of Israel, who had returned from exile in Babylon, were having a massive party that could be heard for miles around. Men, women and children all joined in the festivities and the joy could be heard far away.
Was it because they had finished rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem?
Was it because Nehemiah had reinstated the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers and worshippers?
Was it because the word of God had been read to the people for a quarter of the day, and then the Israelites confessed their sins and worshipped for many more hours?
Yes, it was, for all of those reasons. But I believe it was also because, as Nehemiah 9 details, there was a confession of sin and turning back to the great, almighty and awesome God (Nehemiah 9:32–38).
Nehemiah 9:34 says, “our kings, our princes, our priests and our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and your warnings that you gave them.” But God in his great mercy “did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God” (Nehemiah 9:31).
What follows in Nehemiah is a detailed account of the reforms that Nehemiah put in place to help the people of Jerusalem to follow their mighty God.
Times have not really changed, have they? Our kings, our princes, and our fathers have not kept God’s laws or paid attention to his commandments and warnings. We know that many of the leaders of our nation do not profess to know and follow God. We know many of the fathers of the families in Australia do not profess to know and follow God. It is my fear that many of our Christian leaders have also been compromised and not paid attention to God’s warnings. But whenever I point the finger, there are three of my fingers pointing back at me. For I also have not kept God’s laws as I know I should. What do I do? I come to Jesus in repentance and confession and ask him to restore me to him.
Do you experience the deep living wells of joy and peace that only Jesus can bring? Come to him now in repentance. He will fill you with joy!
We pray that our Christian and national leaders will seek God with passionate hearts so that they too can be like Nehemiah and Ezra — encouraging and leading the way to God the Father through Jesus the Son. We pray that nationwide repentance will take place so that great joy and celebration will take place, all across our nation.
Prayer
Gracious and merciful God,
We pray for the Church, the bride of Christ, that you will make us pure by the washing of the water of your word. We pray for our Church leaders. Give them pure hearts for you that they may lead us in your truthful, just and merciful ways.
We pray for our nation and its leaders to turn to you. Lord, use us, the body of believers, for your purposes as we repent on behalf of our nation and pray for its salvation
Amen.
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