Looking Back and Moving Forward

Day three hundred twenty-nine

I had a great Thanksgiving with my family.  It was nice to prepare a meal together and to enjoy each others company. With everyone's work schedules being different we haven't spent as much time together as we used to.  I am very blessed that we all get along and really love each other.  I caught myself thinking; as the boys get older how many more Thanksgivings will we have together? I am a bit spoiled in that department and I know it.  I haven't had to share them with anyone yet, but I am aware that day will come. And then I will have to once again find my place in their life.

So my prayer this morning was filled with gratitude for the blessings that have come into my life through my children.  I appreciate that the Lord trusts me enough to give them to me and loves me enough to bless me through them.  I feel His love in my family each day.

Nehemiah 9

In chapter 9 the people of Jerusalem are finding themselves in a period of confession and reflection as they try to dedicate themselves to the Lord.  The celebration and joy they experienced in chapter 8 has tempered and the mood is more somber.   

I have had those somber moods too.  Self-reflection has a way of making you feel that way.  It is easy to get caught up in the negative feelings and miss the joy when you are feeling inadequate and sorrowful for your sins.  Its okay to ponder on these things, but it isn't healthy to dwell on them.

In response to this, the Levites decide to give a prayer.  This is one of the longest prayers recorded in the scriptures.  It is in this prayer that the people are asked to look back and see the things worth praising, the things that reveal the Lord’s faithfulness in the lives of His people. As I read through the prayer I decided to apply it to my life, to make it personal, so I put "me" in whenever it was talking about the people:

God is my creator and the maker of everything (v 6)

He calls me to be one of His people (vv 7-8)

God deliverers me from sin and its enslavement (vv 9-12)

God cares for me (vv 13-15)

He is patient and forgiving with me (vv 16-21)

He gives me victories (vv 22-25)

He chastens me (vv 26-31)

He restores me (vv 32-37) 

Looking back inspires the people to look forward. They decide to rededicate themselves to the Lord: 

"And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it." (v 38) 

They are once again feeling the energy that comes from a renewed testimony brought about by the "good spirit'' that the Lord gave to instruct them (v 20). They want to make a promise to God, have it written down, and be witnessed.  There is some serious commitment showing here. 

Now I don't know how I would have reacted to this situation, I am not a fan of long public prayers.  But condensing it into these 8 points really got me thinking about how awesome God is and how personal my relationship is with Him.  I found myself feeling like the people of Jerusalem; thankful for what He has done for me in the past, and inspired to move forward. Once again I find myself motivated to make changes in my life in order to grow closer to God because of a prayer given thousands of years ago.  I hope someday that my prayers and my words will inspire others to do the same.