God's Loving, Living Word

Based on Nehemiah 7-9, Acts 3

"And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law." Nehemiah 8:9

It had been so long since God's people heard the Word of God. Many of them were just returning from the surrounding cities. No matter how close or far they were scattered, their hearts were far from God...and hearing this Word wasn't just hearing a letter or decree...it pierced their hearts, like a love letter from God! They were so struck with emotion as they heard the Word read aloud...they heard the things they had forgotten...they had forgotten that God's Word sustained His people through so many trials...but Nehemiah, Ezra & the Levites reminded them that the day was holy, and they should not cry over the past. It was time to turn their hearts back to God & live again, according to His loving & living Word!

"And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness." Nehemiah 8:17

One of the first things they did was honor The Lord's Word to dwell in booths. So, they happily dwelt in booths! Why was this something that brought them gladness, even though it seemed like something of discomfort? This is because this was a people who didn't only let God's Word enter their head, they let it enter their hearts...when something touches our hearts, we tend to pursue after it. Love it. Do anything to achieve it. And so even dwelling in booths made them glad! When is the last time God's Word made it to the heart? Read a little more closely & see how God has brought our past generations through similar trials we may be facing today...then watch how God's Word is still loving & living in our lives!

"Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:" Nehemiah 9:13

That's exactly what God's people did! They read every Word from past to present, looking at what God did in order to know that He will still do it today!

"Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies. But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;" Nehemiah 9:27‭-‬28

God's People were saddened at how many times their ancestors drew back from God, but at the same time, they were encouraged how God always turned back to them when they repented. God's Word is full of encouragement! Nehemiah & the people knew they were in a similar position, needing to get back in a relationship with God again...and they found hope in His Word...we can do the same!

"And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go." Acts 3:12‭-‬13

Peter did the same thing in reminding the people of God's power. The miracle that Peter performed in making the man walk again was nothing short of letting God work through him. This same God of the ages, this same God in His Word, was the same God who died for us, rose again & did miracles through disciples like Peter! God never changed, but these things did once again confirm Who He Was, Is, and Will be! The miracles still testify of the same, merciful, loving, living God we read about...and miracles are still happening today...we just have to make sure our hearts are in position, ready to receive them!