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ELEMENTS OF CONGREGATIONAL SERVICE (VIII)
FRIDAY, MARCH 13
Nehemiah 9:4-38

1 Kings 8:31-40

 

“…because they have

sinned against thee…”

 

ELEMENTS OF CONGREGATIONAL SERVICE (VIII)
 
The attributes and works of God recounted in this prayer are set in contrast to a people stiff-necked and sinful, a people unworthy and totally undeserving. They were a people who deserved only wrath and judgment based on their response and relation to the God who had clearly, and without fail, showed Himself powerful and faithful on their behalf.
 
But they and our fathers dealt proudly (Neh 9:16). The third work highlighted in the prayer was that of long-suffering and mercy. They recounted how God both abode with and fully provided for the nation despite their sinfulness, not because the people were good or deserving. The attributes of God were magnified by placing them against the one overarching attribute of man, namely, his total depravity. In this section of the prayer, there was an admission of guilt, one that they shared with those who had transgressed since they who had transgressed were “our fathers.” The disobedience, hard-heartedness, pride and rebellion of the people magnified the mercy, grace and long-suffering of God which they rightly highlighted in Nehemiah 9:17.
 
Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God (Neh 9:18). The people were not only disobedient, hard-hearted and rebellious. They were, as Paul in his letter to the Romans put it, ungodly and unrighteous men “who hold the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom 1:18). Despite the visible and spiritual evidence of God’s deliverance, presence and provisions, they still “changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image” (Rom 1:23). But God, even in the face of such provocations, remained a faithful and covenant-keeping God whose leading and provisions failed not. God did not withdraw the visible evidence of His presence (Neh 9:19), neither did He withhold His spirit to instruct them (Neh 9:20). He constantly and continually provided for them those forty years (Neh 9:21). He gave them victory over established and powerful kingdoms, and gave them inheritance promised to Abraham (Neh 9:22‑25). In all these, God showed Himself merciful and longsuffering to them.
 
THOUGHT: We, like them, are a depraved and stiff-necked people.

PRAYER: (Use Psalm 51:1-4.)

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