June 5th - Nehemiah 1:6-7
Playback speed
Nehemiah 1:6-7
I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.
Over the last few weeks, we have had a problem with a water leak. We live in a reasonably new house but have seen water trickling down from the bathroom into the kitchen. We duly called in a plumber who used bright lights and careful instruments to discover where the leak was coming from.
There are times in life when we just have to face the facts, uncomfortable as they may be. In a sense, that’s what happens when we come into the presence of a holy God. The truth about our lives is suddenly revealed. The fact is, we are sinners and we live in a community that is sinful. Nehemiah knew that he had to be absolutely honest with God.
At times we like to play games with ourselves and make out that we are really not that bad. We open the newspapers and compare ourselves with people who have committed appalling crimes and feel better about ourselves. [itals]We[end itals] would never do such things. But the reality is that we all fall short of God’s perfect standards and we need his forgiveness if we are ever going to live in partnership with him. The wonderful truth is that, if we are willing to confess our sins, God is willing to forgive us. When Jesus died on the cross he took upon himself the full weight of our sin.
Nehemiah’s words remind me of Isaiah who, faced with the holiness of God, felt thoroughly depressed. He cried out: “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips” (Isaiah 6:5). But God sent a seraph, an angelic being, to cleanse his lips. Praise God that when we confess our sins he is willing, in the same moment, to forgive us and set us free to live our lives to the full.
Question
How do you respond to the news that God longs to forgive you?
Prayer
Loving God, thank you for the amazing and liberating gift of forgiveness. Amen
Released on 5 Jun 2024
Coming up next
June 6th - Nehemiah 1:11
Nehemiah 1:11 “ O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honouring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favourable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” Nehemiah was on the verg...
June 7th - Nehemiah 2:4-5
Nehemiah 2:4-5 The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?” With a prayer to the God of heaven, I replied, “If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.” Thi...
June 8th - Nehemiah 2:8
Nehemiah 2:8 And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me. Nehemiah’s appearance before King Artaxerxes went incredibly well. Not only did the king grant him all the leave that he wanted, but he also gave Nehemi...