Monday afternoon thoughts...

"Remember me, O my God, for good." Nehemiah 5:19; 13:31

On two different occasions we see this statement come from Nehemiah. Wrapped up in these seven words is the motivation behind one man's life. He wanted to please his God. He wanted his God to see him as a man who did what was right in His sight. It is clear that Nehemiah knew Israel's history, along with the promises that God had made to them (1:5-11). It is also clear that Nehemiah was aware of the downfall of Israel's previous kings (13:26). I can only imagine that he was aware of what Jeremiah had written 100 years earlier about the other kings of Israel; each of them having their lives summed up by one of two statements, "He did what was right in the sight of the Lord," or, "He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord." Nehemiah was a man who wanted to do what was right in the sight of the Lord.

This showed in everything that he was about. His brokenness over Israel's sin. His consistency in going before the Lord in prayer. His perseverance through difficulty and opposition. His selflessness before God's people. His cultivation of an environment in which the Word of God was respected and lifted up. His demand for holiness. There wasn't an area of Nehemiah's life that wasn't impacted by his desire to please the Lord in all things. How refreshing is it to find someone who has that same desire. But, isn't even more refreshing to find someone who not only has that same desire, but also backs it up with a lifestyle that matches those words?

This world...actually, more specifically, the church doesn't need any more lukewarm, watered down, inactive, prayerless believers. It needs more who are willing to follow the example of Nehemiah and set an example for others to follow. How are you like Nehemiah? What impact could you have for eternity if you lived out the same desire as Nehemiah? "Remember me, O my God, for good."

Until next time...