Revival—Inside
Out
Scripture
Text: Nehemiah
10: 28- 39
Have
you ever felt drained of energy, parched and listless either because
of many days of intense hot weather or because of being in the blazing
sun for hours and not having much to drink? In moments like these,
is it not just great to jump into the pool or to go under a water
fountain and be refreshed and ‘revived’?
Likewise,
‘revival’ in our spiritual lives also involves becoming
‘alive’ again. It requires going to the ‘Living
Water’ to be refreshed and kept clean. In short, it necessitates
a personal holiness in our lives, a willingness to surrender everything
so that our lives can be kept clean and apart and revived for Him.
In
Nehemiah 10, the Israelites made a similar covenant with God as
they knew that their God was serious about holiness and obedience
in acting out the Word. They made a binding agreement to follow
God right through to the end, whatever the cost. This would affect
every area of their lives. Like the Israelites we should ask ourselves
‘Does my Christianity affect my whole life?’ It should,
otherwise, it is not true Christianity at all. Paul stated in 2
Cor 5:17 ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation,
the old has gone. The new has come.’ We need to change our
lifestyle for the better – people should see the change in
us and be able to identify us as Christians.
The Israelites outlined the three areas of their lives they were
going to be obedient in – namely;
1)
THE HOME (v 30)
2) THE SOCIETY –
in which they lived (v 31)
3) THE WORSHIP –
in which they were engaged in adoring the Lord (v 32- 39)
THE
HOME
When
Israel became a chosen people before God,
they were given the law that their relationship with Him should
be uncontaminated by the pagan influences of the nations surrounding
them, that is, they were not to commit spiritual adultery with those
nations. But right throughout Israel’s history, their intermixing
and marriage with other nations caused them to worship foreign gods
of pagan lands. The apostle Paul warns us not to be unequally yoked
in 2 Cor 6: 14. Have we been faithful to our God or have we strayed
away from Him? Is He a Guest or the Head of the household?
THE
SOCIETY
In
Nehemiah 10:31 the people pledged that they would not bring merchandise
or grain to sell, nor would they buy on the Sabbath or any holy
day. Every seventh year, they would forgo work on the land and will
cancel all debts. This meant that they had to completely trust God
for all resources and provision. They had to show other nations
that they were different – they were God’s people and
were able to follow God’s commandment. Do we as God’s
people look to God for all we have and thank Him for all He has
given us?
WORSHIP
The
Israelites were to support the temple worship with their finances
and their resources as the Levites could not support themselves.
When we practise personal holiness in our lives we would have a
high view of God and the way we treat the sacred things of God.
Do we honour God with our tithes, time and resources?
Prayer
response
Dear
Lord, help me to be a person who will seek after personal holiness
in all the three areas of my life – the home, society and
worship. I wish to stand out as a Christian. I realize that faith
in Christ is not just a single
step but a life
of walking with Him. Help me to be able to glorify your name with
my tithes, time and resources. I know that I cannot do it on my
own; it is only with your strength and grace that I am able to do
it. Amen.