“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said:
‘O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel.'”
Nehemiah 1:4-6a
When Nehemiah heard the report he sat down – yashab, to abide dwell – to palal – pray, intervene, intercede. He made it the new place to dwell: interceding for his brothers and sisters. He did this before (paneh) the face of the God of heaven. Who is frightening yet tender enough to shamar (bodyguard) His covenant with those who bodyguard His commands. He does this because of His hesed – unfailing love that, according to the NASB notes, is a “faithful love that honors a covenant through thick and thin.”
Honors a covenant through thick and thin. What a God.
This morning I dropped egg on the stove burner and it was smoky and stanky and I was crabby. Dan opened a window to alleviate the rank and it did. But what it left was inspiring to me: the shaft of light glistened on the residual smoke like a rainbow. Or dust flecks in the afternoon glimmer. A mistake turned into beauty.
Our brokenness transformed by love.
We took down Christmas décor this week and I have a new sign up in the entryway: Grace Changes Everything.
It does, friends. For every person we disagree with, let’s make our place to dwell in that relationship one of prayer. And believers, let’s fear our God of heaven in a good way. A way that desires to bodyguard His commands to His Bride. There is a way to do this in grace toward ourselves and each other. It’s hard to do it any other way when we’re dwelling in prayer. His Spirit makes it difficult to bash with Truth because we’re so deeply aware of our own need for grace.
Indeed, Grace changes everything.