National Confession

Nehemiah 9:32-37, “Now therefore, our God—the great and mighty and awesome God, keeping covenant and steadfast love—do not treat lightly all the hardship that has come upon us, upon our kings, our officials, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until today. You have been just in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly; our kings, our officials, our priests, and our ancestors have not kept your law or heeded the commandments and the warnings that you gave them. Even in their own kingdom, and in the great goodness you bestowed on them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you and did not turn from their wicked works. Here we are, slaves to this day—slaves in the land that you gave to our ancestors to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts. Its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins; they have power also over our bodies and over our livestock at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.” Chapter 9 of Nehemiah reveals to us a national confession of Judah and Israel regarding their failure to follow God’s law. If you haven’t read chapter 9, please read it. This excerpt this morning heightens our knowledge of the behaviors that brought down the children of Abraham, of Israel and Judah.

Where are we in our own national, state, local and personal behavior? Have we confessed before God our sin? Have we faced our own ignoring of God’s law? Do we think that we will live out the age with little or no consequence? The day was spent in confession, prayer and worship led by Ezra, witnessed by Nehemiah and experienced by the faithful few, the repentant, the foreigner and the wicked. They stand starkly in recognition that others had harvested their yield because of their failures. Powerful words of warning.

Prayer: God our Creator and Redeemer we thank you for this day. We thank you for your redemption through Jesus Christ. We plead our cause with you O God, for we have failed to love you and we have failed to love our neighbor. Help us once again keep faithfully your law, returning completely to you. In the powerful Name of Jesus we pray. AMEN!