READ: Nehemiah 9 (Focus vs. 1-2 & 13-21)
MEMORY VERSE
“You are a gracious and merciful” Nehemiah 9:31*
BACKGROUND
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word property? Your mind may go to a piece of real estate. But you might also consider “a quality or trait belonging to an individual or thing”; for instance, the property of a certain type of wood provides insight about it.
What is the wood’s texture? How prone is it to shrinkage? Is it water-resistant? In other words, what are the qualities of the wood you can depend on?
My wife and I attend a church with a traditional feel—corporate prayers, kneeling, Scripture reading, Communion. One of the prayers we pray each Sunday holds this phrase: “But thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy.”
Not God’s real estate but a quality or trait belonging to God—to have mercy not just once in a while but always.
Nehemiah 9 gives us a picture of the Israelites gathered together, fasting, wrapped in sackcloth and covered in ashes (v. 1), confessing their sins and the sins of their ancestors (vv. 2, 16).
They praised God for His patience in Israel’s history: “Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them” (v. 19). God could have put an end to them or abandoned them, but He never did. Why? That’s not God’s property, for He is “a gracious and merciful God” (v. 31).
In our prayers of confession, let’s include praise for that dependable property of God—His mercy.
John Blase
INSIGHT
Nehemiah lived and wrote in the post-exilic era—the period when Israel was returning in stages from their seventy-year captivity in Babylon. He’d formerly been the cupbearer to the king and had been sent at his own request to oversee the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 1-2).
In chapter 9, the people are called to confess and mourn over their sins as God’s chosen people (vv. 1-2). This call came following the reassertion of the law of Moses in chapter 8.
In light of that law, the Levites and singers recounted the sins of the nation all the way back to the wilderness wanderings of their ancestors and their spiritual failures there. And they praised Him for His grace and mercy (9:31). He extends those things to us as well.
Bill Crowder
APPLICATION
What properties of God can you think of? How will You praise Him for those?
PR’s (Pastor Richard) RE-EMPHASIS (From Today’s Post)
God (can) put an end to (us) or abandoned (us), but He never (does). Why? That’s not God’s property, for He is “a gracious and merciful God”
PR’s TAKE
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; Great is Your Faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 esv
PRAYER
Thank you, Father, that Your property—Your character—is always to have mercy.
TODAY’S HYMN/WORSHIP/PRAISE/GOSPEL SONG
“IMMORTAL INVISIBLE ONLY WISE GOD”
Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.
Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.
To all life Thou givest, to both great and small;
In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish but naught changeth Thee
Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
All praise we would render, O help us to see
’tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee.
