“The document was ratified and sealed with the following names:

The governor:

Nehemiah son of Hacaliah, and also Zedekiah.

The following priests:

Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah…”

Nehemiah 10:1-2 NLT

Last time we saw how the returned exiles were going to make a binding agreement, sealed by all the leaders, on how to move forward in obeying God as a community. Today we see who some of these leaders were.

The first is our governor, Nehemiah. You may have forgotten like me that his name means, “Yah comforts.” I’m so glad. A comforting presence was likely yearned for in our returned exiles’ day. I know it is needed in our own.

What a politically divided, ideologically heated time in which we live. When we forget God is on His throne and the work to which He calls us is more like following the wake of a wave as He leads than plowing forward in our own effort, we will despair. But we can simply come back in line with Him and allow Yah to comfort. I’m grateful to be reminded this is what our governor’s name promises about our Creator’s character.

It is also comforting to be reminded of Nehemiah’s father’s name: Hacaliah which means “wait for Yah.” It makes me think of all the years his son spent being a cupbearer in the court of a Persian king, letting someone who neither knew nor honored the Most High God give him orders. And then when he got word of the city of God in ruins, he went into action.

But up until then? He waited for Yah.

I want to be found faithfully serving at my post, praying and looking for Yah’s activity, letting Him comfort me, and acting when the time is right. Because the name of our next leader is instructive as well:

“…and also Zedekiah…” This man’s name means “Yah is righteousness.” And right living, particularly in the midst of evil, is the calling of God’s people. Scholars think this Zedekiah may be the same man listed in Nehemiah 13:13 as Zadok, Nehemiah’s scribe. And he was likely the one drawing up the document which all the leaders signed and sealed.

Interesting, isn’t it? Called one name in reference to a writer role. Called another as the second one signing what was written. All of it pointing to Yahweh’s righteousness.

How about we let whatever roles in which we find ourselves point to His righteousness – both inside of us because of His Spirit, and in His activity in the world because He has not abandoned it? God so loved this world. He woos and convicts, draws and challenges. And our next family name to sign the covenant shows us why:

“And the following priests: Seraiah (which means “Yah persists”)…”

Something interesting from a commentary was how this is likely a family name rather than one individual person named Seraiah. And the name is of high priest lineage: “Eliashib, the high priest of the time, probably appended the seal of the house of Seraiah.” (source)

Ah yes. Not only a priest, but the first name to sign belonged to the high priest. The only one allowed in the Holy of Holies of Temple, offering incense and sprinkling blood on the mercy seat on behalf of the nation’s sins. And the name means “Yah persists.”

Doesn’t that make sense to your heart? That is the kind of God Who would accept less-than-perfect animal sacrifices for ways His people broke covenant until the Perfect Sacrifice came.

And aren’t you glad He is so persistent? That He has been called the Hound of Heaven, never giving up on us, refusing to let us go? He persisted with His people while in captivity. He persisted as they returned and rebuilt a wall and communal identity. And He showed the ultimate persistence with those of us made in His image by becoming One of us.

Where do you need to persist? Where does He seem to be insisting you never give up, never back down, refuse to give in? Stay the course, friend. Yah persists.

Next up: Azariah, whose name means “Yah has helped.” This Azariah is likely the son of Maaseiah who helped rebuild the wall. We know priests threw in on the repair work, so some certainly signed the covenant. And how lovely one of their names reminds us all of how Yah helps. He is not aloof, distant, and uninterested. He is Azar – Helper.

And our final priest in today’s verses is Jeremiah, not to be confused with the prophet who warned Jerusalem of captivity some 150 years earlier. This priest’s name means “Yah loosens” from Yah and remiyyah – laxness, slackness, idle, lazy, negligent, slack.

This one confuses me, putting our involved, loving Yahweh alongside a word which means lazy and negligent. And yet it is translated as loosens. Makes me think of loosening the slack on a dog leash or your grip on something which is too tight. Perhaps it could relate to our community here as Yahweh loosening on some of the consequences of sin as they seek to honor Him with this new covenant.

Another possible meaning listed for Jeremiah’s name is “Yah will rise” from Yah and rum – to be high, exalted, rise, lift, presumptuous.

This one makes immediate sense, yes? As our community of returned exiles draws together to honor God’s laws, His fame will rise. And as we join together as those who love Him and honor Him in our thoughts and actions and resistance and service, His fame will rise in our day as well.

Let it rise.

“In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.”

Nehemiah 9:38

Last time we saw the Levites confess to Yahweh their great distress at Persian kings ruling their land, cattle, and their own bodies. Today we see the community’s next move: to make a binding agreement.

“In view of all this (zoth– [pronoun, feminine singular] hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same; Irregular feminine of zeh– sheep, lamb)…”

In light of all this (everything, feminine for lamb)…

Based on all this history we’ve recounted, this rebellion of us and faithfulness of You, the Israelites will be taking a certain course of action. It is important to look back and recall the ways He has been faithful – especially when we weren’t. To remind ourselves of our “all this.”

It is interesting to me the term for this in our verse can also mean a feminine lamb. And it is also used in the verse “This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh” in Genesis 2:23, referring to Adam’s reaction to God creating Eve. And it is in the singular feminine form even here.

Before we quickly jump to how the past rebellion of Israel is somehow related to a particular gender, let’s remember who all had not followed God’s standards: everyone. All we like sheep have gone astray. This is more like how we call tropical storms by female names, or refer to inanimate objects as “she’s a beaut.” In this instance, the recounted past is coming together in a collective pronoun she.

We will see coming up in the book of Nehemiah how not marrying women who worship pagan gods is part of this covenant all leaders would sign, pointing to the enormous influence women have over their households. But to somehow jump to gender bashing is to ignore the blatant disrespect toward God’s Law by all – leadership on down.

“…We cut (karath– cut, make in writing) a sure covenant/binding agreement (amanah– faith, support, firm regulation, certain portion, sure; feminine of ‘amen– very truly, Amen, so be it, truth; something fixed. An allowance.)…”

[Because of this] we are cutting a covenant, something fixed and true.

This is, again, a good idea. To recount their mistakes and make a covenant to not repeat them. And not simply in words:

“…Puting it in writing (kathab– to write, decree, inscribe, record, prescribe, sign, write down)…”

Writing it down, making an inscribed decree. Sounds pretty permanent to me. After all, God had put down His covenant toward them in writing with His own hand; now the Israelites were following suit.

“…And our leaders (sar– chief, leaders, officials, officers), our Levites (Levi) and our priests (kohen) are affixing their seals to it (chatham– seal up, obstruct, shut, stop, make an end)…”

And all our leading officials, temple workers, and priests are sealing it, making it official and shutting it.

Well, that pretty much covers everyone in leadership: political, spiritual, civic. And, remember, that seal they all use is what makes it official, the permanent signature of each leader. They were coming together in agreement on this and sealing the matter for their community. “Never again do we want to rebel against God and His ways. And we especially do not want to fall back into slavery.”

These unifying steps matter. Agreeing to obey God’s Law and honor fellow humans is crucial. As we will find out, God’s people could not follow through on this perfectly. If they had, we would not have needed Jesus to do it on our behalf.

But to take obedient steps forward is the next right thing for our returned exiles. Make we take ours today.

It’s been two weeks!

Little getaway

Fireworks shopping

Cousin time

Oatmeal Cookie Bake-Off Competition

Blueberry Muffins revealed to us by a friend

Tubing on generous friends’ boat

Botanica’s Chinese Garden with a friend

Opportunity to love women with school supplies

Our newest addition, Winston

He is positively adored around here

Yep

Yes, he loves him, too

Summer sunset glory

Your 2 weeks?

“But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces. Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress.

Nehemiah 9:36-37

Last time we saw the Levites’ prayer continue to praise Yahweh for remaining righteous in spite of their lack of following the Law of Love. Today we see more in depth the ways the Israelites are in distress.

“But see (hinneh – lo and behold!) we (anachnu – we ourselves) today are servants/slaves (ebed – servant, bondage) in the land you gave our ancestors (fathers)…”

See! We ourselves today are in bondage in the land you gave our ancestors.

Sometimes this taking chapters of the Bible line by line can be misleading. For example, this statement of, “Lo! Behold!” is there as a result of everything written (said) before it. The last sentence in the previous verse is, “Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways.”

So, lo and behold, here we are in bondage again.

There’s just something about generational sin, huh? The reference to “in their kingdom” is from the time of the united tribes of Israel under King Saul, King David, and King Solomon. This was not the time of the current, praying, returned exiles. However, they found themselves in bondage based on decades-previous sin.

While each generation has the choice of whom they will serve, there is something to be said for an entire period of Jews having no idea they were to be celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles, for example. And that would be a failure on each previous generation for not paying attention to God’s commands to His people and passing them along.

I realize this topic gets personal, mostly because if we are honest, we in this generation wonder the ways we’re missing the mark for those coming after us. We hesitate to finger point and cast blame on those before us because we’re aware of our shortcomings now.

The good news for all of us is it simply takes confession and cooperation to move forward into the light. No finger pointing necessary, simply pointing to the Cross and the only One Who ever got it perfect.

Now that we can breathe, in what ways do we see Jesus’ Body anemic in our day? Without throwing stones – but with perfectly clear eyes with which to move forward – what are some ways we can say, “Lo and behold! We are still in bondage”?

This takes courage, but fortunately He is instilling such a characteristic into us these days. Everything about walking with Him publicly seems to take a dose of courage, and many are willing to die to themselves and put on the full armor necessary.

“…so they could eat (akal – devour, feast, enjoy, eat freely) its fruit (peri – produce, results, reward; from parah – be fruitful and multiply from Genesis 1:22) and bounty (tub – good, best things)…”

[We are servants in the land, the land You gave] so they could freely eat and enjoy its produce, best things.

I personally love when prayers in the Word remind God of what He has said or done or promised. It’s a good strategy actually. We remind ourselves of what He can do and said He would do. And we remind Him just for good measure. “God, You promised this land so we could receive Your best things. That is not what is going on. Please tell us You see.”

I can learn a lot from this, honestly. I think we all can. “Jesus, You have promised that You would build Your Church and the gates of hell would not prevail (future, indicative, active verb meaning not get the upper hand, not have strength) against the Church as it advances in our day. And yet right now, in many areas, behold! we are in bondage.”

Refreshing, yes? And not only that, but we could remind Him [ourselves], “And You have promised it is for freedom that Jesus set us free. You said if we remained in Him we would bear much fruit – to enjoy as the best things Your Spirit in us gives. But instead..”

“Here we are servants (ebed again) in it (al – hovering over)….”

Bondage hovers over us.

“Because of our sins (chatta’ah – offense, sometimes habitual sinfulness and its penalty; from chata – to miss, go wrong, bear the blame, loss) its abundant (rabah – abundant, multiply, become much, be in authority, excel, exceedingly great, heap, increase) yields (tebuah – product, revenue, crops, grain, income) to the kings you have set (nathan) over us (al)…”

Because of our sins, how we miss the mark, bear the blame the exceedingly great crops, income have gone to the kings you put over us.

For any of us who were uncomfortable discussing sins of previous generations, we can relax; the rest of the verse focuses on the returned exiles’ current sins. This simple confession of how they miss the mark in obeying God, how – no matter what others had done previously – they themselves were to blame for their current situation: that the yields of the land went not to the people, but the kings who ruled over them.

Remember, our exiles may have returned to Jerusalem, but their land still belonged to the King of Persia. Nehemiah himself was only there by permission of the king. And the exiles who worked the land owed exorbitant taxes to the Persian empire, which had previously led to interest-gaining injustice among the Jewish people. 

“They were not, like their fathers, free tenants of the land which God gave them…they were still [subject] to the kings of Persia…[Israel’s] children [were] slaves…” (source)

After confessing they had not done the work to become bondservants to Yahweh, the Levites point out in prayer they are instead slaves to those whose rule is unjust. And not only does the land belong to these rulers, but also:

“…over our bodies (gviyah) they have dominion (mashal – rule, reign, dominion, gain control, have charge, authority, master, wielded, bear, cause to) and our cattle (behemah – beast, animal) as they please (ratson – goodwill, desire, delighted, willed, acceptable)…”

And these kings have had control/authority/been master over our bodies, our cattle as seemed acceptable to their will and delight.

This is not good. When people are not allowed autonomy over their God-given physical bodies, evil is in charge. Whether slavery, physical or sexual abuse, or cruel displacing of groups of people, wickedness is at the helm when bodies are not given freedom. That is why the final sentence in our verses today makes so much sense:

“We are in great (gadol – exceedingly great, mighty) distress (tsarah – straights, adversity, affliction, anguish, tightness, trouble, female rival; feminine of tsar – narrow, tight, close, enemy, flint, foe)…”

We are in exceedingly mighty anguish.

God knows. He sees. But the Levites lead the returned exiles in prayer to a loving God, reminding Him of their great distress. They have owned their failures, they are repenting of unjust practices among themselves. They are seeking to obey what they understand of Torah. And now they plead for mercy.

What a good idea. May we communally, as believers in Jesus, follow suit.

“In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous; you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly. Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our ancestors did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the statutes you warned them to keep.

Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways.”

Nehemiah 9:33-35

Last time we saw the Levites’ prayer turn from a historical review of Israelite history to petition for mercy. For God to see their distress as no trifling hardship. Today we see the prayer return to the goodness and justice of Yahweh.

“…You (attah – You Yourself) are just (tsaddiq – just, righteous, blameless, innocent, in the right, Righteous One, lawful) in all that has befallen (bo – come in, advance, arrive, invade, bring forth) us…”

He Himself has been blameless in whatever has come in, brought forth on His people. He does not have to explain Himself or backtrack or reword the Word. He is not unlawful in dealing with His creation nor would He ever be found guilty by us.

“…for You have dealt (asah) faithfully (emeth – firmness, faithfulness, lasting, truthful, stability, trustworthiness; from aman – confirm, support, believe, guardian, nurse, verified, sure, assurance) but we (anachnu – we ourselves) have done wickedly (rasha – to be wicked, make trouble, vex, deal, violate, inflict punishment)…”

What He accomplishes in our lives will be faithful, firm, assuredly lasting. But we ourselves make trouble, vex one another, and violate what is Right and Good.

Please know this goes deeper than can’t we all just get along. When we act wickedly as a society, we inflict punishment on each other. Our actions and inactions affect our fellow human beings, disregarding what is holy. I zoomed in on that synonym violate for a moment: to treat something sacred with irreverence. Yes, that is what we do.

“…And neither our kings nor our princes (sar from last time: princes, rulers, official, captain, commander, governor, leader, officer, official, overseer, general, lord, principal, head person, master) our priests or ancestors have kept (asah: accomplish) your law (torah: direction, instruction, ruling, teaching)…”

Makes me think of Romans:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;

There is no one who understands;

There is no one who seeks God.

All have turned away,

they have together become worthless.

There is no one who does good, not even one.”

Sounds pretty accurate. Only one Human ever was purely Good. We have to look to Him. How He accomplished Torah while walking on our soil. The pure embodiment of Loving Yahweh with heart, soul, mind, and strength. The perfection of Loving neighbor as self. Then ask His Spirit in us to live in such a way through us.

“…nor heeded (qashab – to incline ears to hear) your commandments (mitsvah -commandment, prescribed, terms; from tsavah – conditions, law, ordinance, precept, lay charge upon) and testimonies (eduth – admonition, ordinance, warning, witness, testimony) which you testified (uwd – admonished, go about, repeat, do again, earnestly charge) against them…”

Not only did these kings and princes, rulers and governors, leaders and officials not follow Yahweh’s direction and teaching throughout Israel’s history. None of them paid attention to His prescribed commands or repeated warnings against them.

Remember this?

“This word mistvah is distinct from torah in that it also includes ‘moral kindness in keeping the law.’ There are 613 mitzvot (plural of mitsvah). However, because the Temple is no longer in tact – and because Israel is not the theocratic state it was before – Jewish scholars list 271 mitzvot which are still to be followed today. (source) 

And let’s remember together these precepts are not just moral, individualistic rules. Rather, these were statutes that showed how justice and love come together communally. We as a Body cannot assume to ignore the corporate law and expect no correction.”

“For even in their kingdom (malkuth – royalty, power, reign, rule, realm, sovereignty, throne, a dominion, empire)…”

Even in their reign, when they ruled with an empire…

Now our Levites point out all the blessings heaped upon our Israelites, showing the futility of these gifts in keeping them in line with God’s ways.

First up: an empire, rule and reign with a king among the nations. And we know this generosity on God’s part was only used to blend in and emulate the ways of those surrounding nations. Including their idols.

“…or in the many (rab – exceedingly abundant) good things (tub – good things, goodness, best things, prosperity, gladness, joy, beauty, welfare) that you gave them (nathan)…”

Or in all the abundant goodness, the best things, beauty and joy you gave them…

“…or the the large (rachab – wide, broad, extensive, proud, spacious, vast) and rich (shamen – fat, robust, lusty, plenteous, oily, gross) land you set before them (paneh – before their faces)…”

Or the extensive, spacious and fat, rich land you set before their faces.

So that’s political power, military might, beautiful and best things, and rich land for an abundant harvest. All this and still:

“they have not served (abad – work, serve, bondage, cultivate, do the work, perform, worship) you…”

They did not do the work to serve you as bond-slaves.

That quite literal rending of those root Hebrew words strikes me as legalistic as a New Testament believer. To perform, work, serve, cultivate puts so much of the responsibility on us in this equation. And the working out of our salvation, even as we rely on it being God Who is at work in us, is part of our discipleship.

So what sort of things do we cultivate in worshipping God with our entire lives? To serve in such a way as to describe ourselves as His blond-slave?

Bowing daily. Telling Him the answer is, “yes” before we know the question. Praying against principalities and powers. Trusting He knows more than we do in every situation.

“or turned (shub – turn back) from their wicked (ra – adversity, bad, evil, affliction, calamity, distress, displeasure, exceeding grief, heavy, hurt, naughty, wretched, trouble, sorrow) ways (maalal – deed, practice, action, endeavor, invention; from alal – abuse, act severely, defile, mock, overdo, be saucy to, impose, affect, child)…”

They did not do the work to worship, but they also did not turn from their evil, sorrowful, heavy practices – abuse, mock, defile.

Yeah, we all worship something. If we’re not doing the work to cultivate worship toward the Most High, we will worship something else. And idolatry always leads to sorrowful, heavy practices.

At this point I wish mocking, defiling what is sacred, and sorrowful practices were only something “out there.” Unfortunately, I see them rise up in my own heart daily. And as each of us battle the urge to become cynical, critical mockers, we can do sincere battle against a spirit of shame, blame, and scapegoating which threatens unity and a sincere safe space for discourse.

Any practices in which you are involved which could be described as sorrowful or heavy? How about abusive? Seems to me the Spirit is uncovering what is hidden in our day and cooperation could lead to liberation.

Because the One Who took it all on the cross did it perfectly, there is always hope for us here and now. He remains righteous. May we join in obedience.

Forced reading time

Free flower love from 13th & West Dillon’s

People, Pride, and Promise

Great learning

First time

Delightful

Picturesque

Little Free Library: Bartlett Arboretum edition

They make me smile

Little ones

Super sweet

Giant Jenga

Some fun ideas

Date night

Nature glory

Your 7 Days?

“Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty and awesome, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes—the hardship that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.”

Nehemiah 9:32

Last time we watched once again how Covenant Yahweh bore with His People, even as He told them the truth through His prophets. Today we see the Levites’ prayer move from historical review to current petition.

Speaking of our prayer turning from historical recollection, I feel that a review of where we are in the book of Nehemiah is in order. Mostly because I sort of forgot.

We know our exiles had returned to the city of Jerusalem and rebuilt the wall. Then back in chapter 8, Ezra was reading the Law to the people, which resulted in their weeping as they realized how far from this Law of Love they had strayed. So Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Levites commanded the people to stop weeping and start partying, because “the the joy of the Lord is our strength.”

As the people obeyed, grew in mirth, and celebrated, Ezra continued to read Torah, and the Levites continued to interpret it to them. From this, they understood, after being exiled for generations, the command from Moses was to dwell in tents during the Feast of Tabernacles. So they did.

After the week-long feast, in the same month of Tishri, the people gathered again, this time in fasting to confess their sins publicly. The Levites, elevated on their platforms to be heard, joined in with confession. Then the leaders of the Levites began leading the praising and prayer in which we still find ourselves studying 6 months later.

And after recounting all the ways the exiles’ ancestors had disobeyed, and all the ways Yahweh had bore with and rescued them, the Levites pray:

“Therefore, our Elohim, the great (gadol – great, bigger, deep, high, marvelous, mighty, heavy, exceedingly) God, mighty (gibbor – strong, champion, Mighty One, Mighty Warrior, giant, powerful) and awesome (yare – affright, to fear, dreadful, fearful reverence)…”

Our Elohim, the high and exceedingly marvelous God, Mighty One, Mighty Warrior, worthy of fearful reverence.

Such a good place to start. Therefore. In light of all this, God, please hear us. And not just any god – our God. The One to Whom we all call. Our Father Who art in heaven.

The great and mighty God. Deep like the ocean depths and higher than our universe. The exceedingly marvelous and heavy God.

“…Who keeps (shamar – to watch, keep watch, preserve, attend, be careful, bodyguard, defend, pay attention, secure, take care, wait) his covenant (berith – covenant, ally, treaty, from barah – to cut) and mercy (checed – goodness, loving-kindness, beauty, favor)…”

Who carefully bodyguards the covenant He cut with His people, full of beauty, favor, and loving-kindness.

There is something calming in these synonyms for keep. He pays attention. I need to know that. I want my theology to reassure me He hasn’t forgotten the children terrified in a foreign country, no parents to comfort them. To know He is able to keep watch as we destroy one another – with words and actions. With inactions.

That He carefully attends and bodyguards the covenant He made with His creation. The covenant that required His initiation and follow through. Then all that mercy to never let go.

“…do not let all this hardship (telaah – weariness, hardship, tiresome, travail, trouble, distress, travel; from laah – weary or impatient, exhausted, parched, try the patience) seem trifling (maat – small, diminished, few, little, reduce, seem insignificant) in your eyes (paneh – before Your face)…”

Do not let all this weariness, exhaustion, patience-testing hardship seem insignificant before Your face.

This turn of phrase is interesting to me. After recounting all the ways God had to be patient with His people, the Levites’ prayer then looks for sympathy for the consequences of their continued rebellion.

But the reason touches me: they are weary. Yes, all this hardship is reaping what they’ve sown. But it is also evidence of His covenant with them. If He didn’t care, He could leave them on their own. But because He loves them, they are experiencing the exhaustion of discipline.

But His people want to know He sees it and knows it is significant. To make sure He doesn’t consider it a little thing. Reduced to a mere annoyance. “Do You see us? Can You see the consequences we live with are a big deal? Do they register as a big deal before Your eyes, too?”

“…the hardship that has come on us (matsa – to find, befall, happen, hit, meet, overtake, possess, present, reach, spread, strike)…”

The wearying distress which has struck and overtaken us.

Not only are they weary and distressed, the people feel they have been struck and overtaken. And not only the regular folk:

“…on our kings and leaders (sar – princes, rulers, official, captain, commander, governor, leader, officer, official, overseer, general, lord, principal, head person, master)”

Also on our kings, rulers, governors, leaders, officers, generals, masters.

Basically anyone given a platform of leadership had been stricken with wearying distress. They felt hit and overtaken by trouble, feeling parched in a dry and weary land.

Since we know God is not mean-spirited, not a critical and angry Father, we can know whatever trouble and tiresome testing befell these leaders was for their ultimate good.

Same in our day, leaders. Shall we look around with clear eyes at the state of His Body in our day, acknowledge it, and repent? We can continue to try with business as usual, but it seems the Spirit is not going to let us corporately off the hook on this one.

And just in case it seems as if someone’s role hasn’t been called out, the Levites’ prayer makes sure everyone feels included:

“…on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people (am – folk)”

On those whose job is to intercede for the people and hear from You, on all Your people from the past to the present.

Indeed, spiritual leaders, we do not get to let only those in a public office, business role, or non-profit take the heat. Those whose responsibilities included the care of the state of souls were just as overtaken by hardship.

And it is often a good thing, yes? Trials testing our faith, uprooting our idols, reminding on Whom we depend, becoming living sacrifices.

“…from the days of the kings of Assyria until (ad – while, up until) this (zeh – this, here) day…”

From the days of the kings of Assyria (who took the Northern Kingdom captive) up until this here day, now today.

In other words, a long time in Israel’s history.

The hardship and trials don’t end for us as God’s people in our day, either. However, in repentance and rest is our salvation as well. 

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:

“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
    in quietness and trust is your strength,
    but you would have none of it.

May it make us shudder. May those of us with influence (read: all of us) bow in reverence before the God to Whom we will give an account. May He never say of us, “But you would have none of it.”

This is our time, friends. Only what we do for His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven will last. 

Need a haircut? Want to support a worthy cause?

Today, June 20th, until 7 pm, come to Crave Beauty Academy for their CUT-A-THON.

$5 haircuts, $5 Mini Manicures, $5 brow waxes, and $10 Express Facials.

An appointment may be necessary, so call first. However, they also have raffles, games, a bake sale, and sidewalk sale – no appointment needed. And all proceeds go to the National Center For Missing & Exploited Children! NCMEC leads the fight against abduction, abuse, and exploitation – because every child deserves a safe childhood.

Come for coffee, brunch, lunch, or dinner to ICT Pop Up Park this week. Plenty of options, even more opportunities to connect with others.

People, Pride and Promise: The Story of the Dockum Sit-In. This traveling exhibition will be at Angelou Branch Library until June 29th, with a special presentation Tuesday evening, June 25th, from 6-7:30.

Tonight’s free Bradley Fair Summer Concert will feature keyboardist Brian Simpson. Bring your lawn chair for some delightful tunes beginning at 7:30.

And Bradley Fair Fit this Saturday, June 22nd, will feature a Barre Workout, a low impact fusion of Pilates, yoga and barre, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Hey-o! Tomorrow is World Giraffe Day. “Help ensure a future in the wild for the earth’s tallest animal by celebrating…at the Sedgwick County Zoo.

Learn more about giraffes, build interactive enrichment items, have your face painted, and get up close and personal with our giraffes. The feeding station will be open all day with proceeds going to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.”

And tomorrow night join the Wichita Art Museum and Tallgrass Film Association for the 7th annual outdoor movie night of Tunes + Tallgrass. Admission is free, but bring your lawn chair! Enjoy food trucks, a cash bar, live music, and selfies from Lamphouse Photo Booth Co.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Mysterious beauty

Hard at work

Appreciating free lunches at the Downtown Y. So important.

Brief but intense

Hail glory

Your 7 Days?

For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention, so you gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples. But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

Nehemiah 9:30-31

Last time we listened in as the Israelites continued to stiffen their necks and choose rebellion over obedience, arrogance over mishpat. Today we see how God continued to bear with them.

“And yet you had patience (mashak – draw, draw out, draw along, drag, bore, defer, extend, follow, march, prolong, stretched) with them for many years.”

You bore with, extended, drew out the Israelites for many years.

Today I’m just so glad He continues to draw us out, stretch us, okay, even drag us along. Some days I’m not sure what I would do without such endurance. And His Church? Where would we be without such extended bearing on His part in each generation as we struggle to be unified in our love?

It takes much more than our efforts. More than what we can do on our own strength, in the love we have in our naturally selfish hearts. It takes Him living inside of us, taking over more of our lives as we cooperate. Unifying us all by the the part which needs no coercing toward peace and love: our spirits overtaken by the Spirit.

Such love draws us out, knows how to defer and follow, will march toward freedom – even when it knows death is required. Because it knows death is required. It prolongs relationships when pride would say, “It’s not worth it.” It stretches us beyond natural inclination toward those we already know and love to those who need to be known and loved.

“And testified (uwd – to return, go about, repeat, do again, earnestly, charge, protest, reiterate testify, intensively, duplicate, relieve, solemnly, stand upright, give warning) against them by your Spirit (ruach – breath, wind, air, anger, cool, courage, exposed, quick-tempered, motives, thoughts, trustworthy, wind, wrath, a sensible [or even violent] exhalation; figuratively, life; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being) through your prophets (nabi – a spokesman, speaker).”

And earnestly charged them, stood up and gave warning to them by Your Spirit (wind, temper, trustworthy, exhalation, life, cool, courageous thoughts…by a rational being) through your prophets (spokesmen).

Our faithful Yahweh not only bore with and drew out the Israelites, He pointed out their errors. Because love not only bears all things, it rejoices in Truth.

Do you not love all the synonyms for Spirit in this definition? “His life, breath, wind.” A wind which blows wherever it pleases, yet never out of line with His perfect character.

“Anger, quick-tempered, a sensible or violent exhalation.” We need not fear or draw back from this definition of spirit here. When referring to the Spirit which hovered over the great deep since before time began, this anger or temper will be only ever pure. A reaction to sin we brought into perfection, a violent exhalation when beauty is marred and justice perverted.

Trust me, we want this kind of God. This is the kind of life, wind we want breathed into those who choose the Way of Jesus. We can be ambivalent about justice until it is desired in our lives. Then, as we feel the rub of deception, bias, or offensiveness, we suddenly realize how much we yearn for God to be One Who is Himself integrity, virtue, and uprightness.

When you see fellow human beings beaten and killed for no reason, does a sensible, violent exhalation naturally come? When babies are taken from their parents, some only months old, does your temper show up? Is it possible such reactions are a testament to the Spirit inside us, groaning? Of course, we react imperfectly with our tempers. But the Spirit never does. The One Who rides on the clouds and defends the fatherless does so with perfection.

And how about “cool, courageous thoughts…by a rational being”? Rather than implying a social status, this cool seems to refer to the rationality of our perfect, mysterious Spirit. Don’t take this to aloof, robot status. Even Paul said, “If I am out of my mind it is for the sake of Christ.” Sometimes the Spirit moves us in ways that seem the furthest thing from rational, logical, sensical. But it is never unthinking or unintelligent. And I appreciate one definition of rationality is, “Agreeable to reason.”

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

And now we are back to this faithful God drawing out and bearing with His people. This is what cool and courageous thoughts lead to. Never covering over reality, always clear of the boundaries and consequences.

And through whom were such thoughts conveyed to the people? “Through your prophets.” Those who were to listen to God and tell others what they heard never had the most enviable job. They still don’t. But it is a necessary one.

While the Spirit does not contradict the Sword, He does speak into people’s lives with clarity and uniqueness. As we test prophesies, refusing to quench His Spirit, we both hold fast to the good and reject evil. Because love never delights in evil.

“Yet they paid no attention (azan – to give ear, to heed, listen, pay attention), so you gave them into the hands of the peoples of the land (erets – earth, land, nations, ground).”

And we know what happens to our Israelites when they refuse to listen: given over to their desires to be free of loving leadership, they find themselves in bondage to captors.

“But in your great (rab – exceedingly abundant) mercy (racham – compassion, deep mercy, tender love, pity, womb – as cherishing a fetus) you did not put an end to them (kalah – complete destruction, annihilation, consumption, utterly destroy) or abandon them (azab – loose them from Yourself, leave destitute).”

But in your exceedingly abundant compassion you did not annihilate/utterly destroy them or loose them from Yourself, leaving them destitute.

He disciplined but never forsook them. He allowed consequences, but wooed them back. He came after them with prophets and allowed them lament with psalms. And He ultimately came to them in the One Way necessary: like them. Like us. God with us.

And why?

“For you (attah – You Yourself) are a gracious (channun – gracious; from chanan – beseech, show favor, fair, grant graciously) and merciful (rachum again) God.”

For You Yourself are a gracious and fair, tender and merciful God.

I wish I could fully absorb in my heart that God is not mean-spirited. All the wooing and parenting, rescuing and warning were because of this character. This deeply compassionate and tenderly loving God.

He loves us. Isn’t it amazing?