TODAYS BIBLE READING:
 

We read of the celebration and enthusiasm of the those gathered at the dedication of the wall in Nehemiah 12:27-43. It was a large, joyous, loud celebration. In Nehemiah 12:27 we read, "Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps." In 12:31, we see that Nehemiah "appointed two large thanksgiving choirs" One went to the right on top of the wall, the other the left, followed by the leaders. We read the summary in 12:43, "Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off." A little over 500 years earlier we see King David in 2 Samuel 6:15-16, when he was bringing the ark of the Lord into Jerusalem literally "leaping and whirling before the Lord" with those gathered shouting and sounding the trumpet. The sad thing is this is generally not how the story ends as is the case in Nehemiah. If the book ended in chapter 12, it would end on a high note. But we read that their leader, Nehemiah went back to the service of the king after serving as their leader in Jerusalem for 10 years. Two years after being gone, Nehemiah returned only to find that the Jerusalem he left, had gone away from that joyous and obedient group and had reverted back into a disobedient and lackluster group.

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What we do when we are assembled is ascribing worth to our God, not judging the merits or skill level of those in leadership. When we clap, it should not be done because we liked the song, or the way the song was performed, or the way the pastor delivered the message; we should be clapping and shouting for the God that we see as worthy of our expressions of excitement. They are all vehicles for the Holy Spirit. When we worship or clap we should be doing so for God, not the vessels that its coming through. Rather than pointing our fingers at other denominations or individuals, how are we doing? Do we lose ourselves being uncontrollably in love with our Savior at service, or do we play it safe? Are we distracted during the service? Are we putting our time in and playing church? Or, are we focused like a laser beam on our Savior? This applies for everyone at the service, those in leadership and those in the congregation. We all talk of wanting revival but perhaps, the problem is not so much outside the church as it is inside the church. If we in the church aren’t excited to be there or excited about the things of God or not desiring to be abiding in His Word, why do we think those on the outside would want to join us? Revival must start within the individual first, then it can spread to others. May we all return to the fervor we once had when we first turned our lives over to Christ. May the Lord Jesus restore to us the joy of our salvation.