Mon.’s Devo - The Call to Build

Read: Nehemiah 1:1-3:14; 1 Corinthians 7:1-24; Psalm 31:19-24; Proverbs 21:4 Nehemiah means “the comfort of Jehovah”. Nehemiah was a Jewish refugee who served as the cup-bearer to king Artaxerxes in Babylon. Nehemiah was visited by his brother and friends who had just arrived from visiting in Judah. He learned that it was not going well in Judah. The wall of Jerusalem had been torn down and its gates burned. He cried out to the Lord repenting for his sins and the sins of his ancestors. He reminded God of his promise that if they returned to Him, He would bring them back to Jerusalem and be with them. He asked that God would give him favor with the king and let him have his request. *** When he served the king his wine, the king noticed that he was not his happy self and asked what was nothing him. Nehemiah told him of the report he had heard about his hometown. The king wanted to know how he could help so Nehemiah asked if he could have a long vacation and go help rebuild the wall. The king gave him his request and letters that would allow him to pass safely through the land. God had heard and answered Nehemiah’s prayer. *** Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem and went out secretly to assess the damage of the city during the night. Once he had inspected the walls and gates he had a meeting with the Jewish leaders and priests. He told him of the favor he had been given from the king and his plans to rebuild the walls. They were very glad to help, but they had opposition from Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem who scoffed at them and accused them of rebelling against the king. *** Despite the opposition they began rebuilding the wall, with everyone taking a section of the wall to be responsible for. *** In Corinthians, Paul addressed the sexual immorality in the church. He told the husbands to be faithful to their wives and vice versa. In the heathen worship all around them, sex was a part of their worship which was perverted and had no boundaries. The new believers had to relearn the sanctity of marriage and virtue. He advised them not to run and get a divorce but to reconcile with each other. If one was a believer and the spouse was not, then they should stay together if at all possible. The believer brings holiness into the family and causes the children to be holy. Paul reminded them that God wanted them to live in peace. His hope and prayer was that the unbelieving spouse would be saved, eventually. *** God called all of us out of darkness and wherever we are when we came to him, we should remain there to be his witness until he calls us to a new place. It is all part of God’s plan. *** Lord, thank you for all the places you put us. May we shine as holy lights bringing hope and salvation to those who are lost. Life is not heaven, but one opportunity after another to bring heaven into our part of earth. Thank you that Holy Spirit helps us to do that. Our Psalm explains it so well. May the world see your love lavished on us and want what we have.