Day 32
And day
by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of
God. They kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn
assembly, according to the rule.
Nehemiah
8:18
There
are times in our lives where the matter at hand is very serious and any time
for foolishness is gone. This could relate to planning our future, dealing with
an illness, dealing with the loss of a loved one, facing a financial setback,
or even a sudden change in our employment. Simply put, these times call for us
to be serious and focused.
Nehemiah,
and the people of Israel, faced such a time. However, their moment of truth did
not relate to finances, jobs, family difficulties, or even security. As they
conclude their celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles, they realized how far
from God they truly were. They had spent the last week reading the word of God
and were deeply convicted about their sin.
Their
response to this conviction was a right one. Instead of trying to make themselves
feel better and excuse their sin, they call a solemn assembly. A solemn
assembly is a very serious time where you can deal with your sin and
shortcomings in a very honest way. This is where the people of Jerusalem found
themselves. They had been far from God and it is time to come back. They
realized that much of their situation was of their own making.
For
us – as serious as things such as family challenges, financial situations, or employment
concerns are – nothing is as important as our spiritual condition. We need to
take our walk with God as seriously as the people of Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s
time. It may be time for us to call a personal solemn assembly. Is it time for
you to take stock of your life? Have you been near to God or have you wondered
far away? Is it time to repent and come back to God?
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