(image: Pastor prays for peace in Columbus, Ohio)
Recommended reading: Nehemiah 9
In the book of Nehemiah there is a lengthy account of the history of the people of Israel. We find the people who rebuilt Jerusalem after its devastation coming together to worship the Lord:
They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God. (Neh. 9:2-3)
They stood where they were.
The Israelites had a tumultuous history. The Lord had made them a people, heard their cries, recused them from Egypt, spoke to them from Heaven and led them into the promised land.
Yet over and over again the people rebelled. Arrogant and “stiff-necked” they rejected the Lord’s ways. God rescued them yet again, but afterwards the people would again turn their backs on God. Then the people discovered the Word of the Lord. Truth is the first step on the path to recovery.
They confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. (9:2)
Admitting where we are is not an easy place to be. We hold onto allusions that we created our own success, that we are in charge of our security and that we are innocent. “As long as I am comfortable, I am unaffected by the suffering of my neighbor.” The Word of God disagrees. There comes a day where we must face the injustices, address the problems of our society, understand the issues of our history and confess our own sins. Confession is the doorway to worship.
‘Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the wilderness.’ (9:19)
So, while the Bible continually points out humanity’s shortcomings, it also continually points out the Lord’s faithfulness. The Lord does not fail to guide us, he continues to show us the light. He freely gives us his Spirit and provides for us all we need. Even when terrible turmoil, illness and enemies invade the land, the Lord is still faithfully delivering us from our troubles. God’s faithfulness is the signpost to the road of reconciliation.
Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty and awesome, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes—the hardship that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings … until today. (Neh. 9:32)
Chapter 9 closes with ‘We are in great distress.’ (9:37)
What is the score in the ability to fix our problems? God 1000, Humanity 0.