BY Raechel Myers
Text: Nehemiah 9:1-37, Romans 8:3-4
I See Christ
Y’all want to do something different today? (I’m just going to assume you’re saying yes here…) Let’s turn to a fresh page of journal paper and write the last part of verse 33 across the top.
“For you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly.” (9:33b, ESV)
Under that, divide your page into two columns. In the column on the left, write the ways in which God dealt faithfully with the Israelites as described in chapter nine. In the right column, list the ways the Israelites acted wickedly in response.
I’ll give you a moment.
Finished? Okay, take a look at your list. What do you see?
I don’t need it to show you how ungrateful the Israelites were. I don’t even need this list to make you see yourself in their unfaithfulness today.
I want you to see God on this page.
“But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them” (9:17b, ESV).
Do you see Him there on the page? Lavishing good gifts, provisions, laws of protection, even great rescues and wondrous signs on His people – even in their wickedness.
You know whom else I see there on that page? I see Christ. Or at least I see His shadow.
You see, the page and the columns weren’t going to get better. The people were always going to fail. And, the Mosaic Covenant was always going to be conditional: it offered life and prosperity for obedience, but disobedience resulted in death and destruction. The People of Israel were unable to save themselves and, even in this tiny sliver of the Old Testament, a clear need for a Substitute is apparent. The Israelites needed Jesus. They needed Righteousness to come down in their place.
“For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:3-4, ESV).
The Israelites recognize their grave misdeeds and are confessing their need for the Father’s mercy.
“For you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly.”
And when it’s all laid out in the open, no matter what the page says, no matter how painfully our unfaithfulness looks compared to His sovereign faithfulness, all that’s left to see is Christ.
35 thoughts on "i see Christ"
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As I was reading through Nehemiah I wondered how many times is God going to forgive the Isrealites for their selfishness, greed and misdeeds. Wake up, this is me; i am the person who has done all these things, too, and each time goes to God to as for forgiveness.
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Wonderful devotional today! Reading the NASB…the word “arrogant” kept popping out at me and I thought about as children how ungrateful we can be to our Father. Then the word “compassion” kept popping out and I thought…Isn’t that just like Him? 2 Timothy 2:13
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Sorry for your loss, Diana…Yes, GOD IS GOOD!…and He loves you greatly! You and your family are in my prayers.
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AMEN!
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Junebug, praise the Lord almighty for He is worthy to be exalted!!! After watching the video, The Holy Spirit impressed the following scripture upon my heart: “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” (Psalms 46:10 NLT) Ladies, our Father is truly on the move and yet working miracles in our lives. The video ties in with today’s lesson as well because even when we are wicked, God is still faithful! Yes Lord, I don’t know about any of you but your sister is shouting over here! Keep the faith and blessings to each of you!
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Thank you Raechel for an incredible and very valuable lesson for me through doing Nehemiah 9 this way and a powerful devotional and as always great comments SRT CommUNITY, sisters and team, many blessings to you all! Love and peace, Peggy
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Just like Israelites, we are so forgetful. Thank you for this devotion that reminds us to remember. Many times in scripture we hear the story of God's faithfulness to His people recounted over and over. We need to do the same thing with our stories of God's faithfulness to us. Because when we forget His faithfulness we lose our way too. In Psalm 42, David was depressed and had to remind himself of the joy of being in God's house. Write it down, tell your children-don't forget what God has done. Then you can remember and trust God's faithfulness again. Here is a link to a post and image about this if you are interested http://scripturesquegraphics.com/hope-in-god-psal…
Much Grace Ladies
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The Israelites always recited oral history (HIStory) when remembering God’s faithfulness. I love how here they also acknowledged how despite this they always went back to sinning when life got comfortable. They were owning their own stuff in their history and their suffering. When I was younger a more mature Christian suggested that I remember God’s faithfulness to me when I was discouraged or doubting his love. That’s become a practice and a good one. Despite how I fail over and over, he remains faithful and patient and full of grace. Remembering this has strengthened my faith even during trying and scary times. We do serve an awesome God!
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