“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying,
‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.'”
Nehemiah 1:8-9
Last time Nehemiah led us in ensuring we include ourselves in yadah – thankful confession. Today we continue to peek in on the next word of His prayer: Remember.
“LORD, Bring to mind the charge you laid upon your servant Moses:
If you act treacherously, I Myself will shake you to the nations. But if you turn back towards Me by bodyguarding and accomplishing my commands…I will gather you (though you are driven to the edge of the heavens) and bring you to the home where I have chosen My Name and Fame to settle down and dwell.”
I appreciate so much of the Hebrew wording in this. Particularly the doubles: I Myself will shake you. We never have to wonder if our Good, Good Father is behind any discipline in our lives. Of course He is. He loves us too much to be indifferent. And if we’re really honest with ourselves we are so glad.
I also love turn back and towards Me. “Don’t just turn, turn to Me!” We don’t just turn away from what we know isn’t best for us; we turn right into His arms. If we know Him this way, repentance is a relief.
And the way we turn into His arms by doing two things: bodyguarding His commands and actually doing them. In the Hebrew there are two separate words used. Yes, we carefully observe and watch over His commands, but the way we do that is by obeying them. Bringing them forth into the world in our sphere of influence. What we know in our head moves its way into our hearts and, after a while, we realize we are walking this thing out with Him. It really does look better to us to give than receive. We really do desire to turn the other cheek, live lives of servanthood, pray for those who persecute us and die to ourselves so we can live for Him.
Ah, but now the best part: No matter how far away we’ve roamed or He’s scattered us as His people, He will gather us and He Himself will bring us Home. It’s what we all want, isn’t it? To be Home? In a place of perfect comfort and acceptance, yet where we’re challenged to grow and learn and discover and have dominion.
But the best news is we don’t have to wait until the New Earth. We have a taste of this here and now, amidst the chaos of brokenness. We ourselves are the place He has chosen to dwell. Our union has begun. Because of the Cross we are perfectly accepted and forgiven and chosen now. We are given work and challenged to grow and commanded to ask, seek, and knock now.
Oh praise the One Who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead!