Day 43
… We
will not neglect the house of our God.
Nehemiah
10:39
The
problem with neglect is that it is a passive action. It takes no effort to neglect
something. We can neglect our health without trying. We can neglect our
finances without trying. We can neglect our families without trying. It takes zero
effort to neglect something. And just as we can neglect so many other areas in
our lives, we can neglect our relationship with the Lord.
The
Israelites had done just this. It had manifest itself in their neglect of the temple.
They had stopped bringing their tithes and offerings. At times in their history,
they allowed the temple to fall into disrepair. Not only this, but they
neglected to take care of the priests, which forced them to leave the temple
and to go provide for their own physical needs.
After
the rebuilding of the wall, and after spending a fair amount of time in the Law,
they make a strong commitment. They pledge that they will no longer neglect the
house of their God (the temple). They commit to take care of that part of their
lives that was most important, their walk with God.
We,
like the Israelites, must be careful not to neglect our relationship with God.
This means we must make time for prayer, time for the word, time to listen, and
certainly make an effort to obey. We must take action to prevent the results of
inaction. We must have a plan to keep our walk with God alive and vibrant.
Take
time to assess your walk with God. Make sure you are walking in relationship
with Him. Of course, a healthy relationship will result in all sorts of spiritual
disciplines being exercised, but no amount of disciplines can replace the
relationship. Examine your heart. Examine your walk. Ask yourself whether or
not you are where you want to be with God; then talk to Him about it. Ask Him
to help you.
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