This Could be Part One of a Really Long Series about Nehemiah

I love reading.  Lately, I’m stuck (in the most positive sense of the word) in a chapter of a book in the Bible called Nehemiah.  I really like this guy.  I like Him because he seems to have a good head on his shoulders.  I like Him because I see in him something I can learn from.

Nehemiah seems to know who he is and who God is … both in the proper perspective.  Right off the bat, the first thing I see in Nehemiah is what he says about God:  “God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands.” Now, that’s the kind of thing I say when God does really cool things in my life.  But, then I notice the context in which Nehemiah says this.    He’s heard bad news, awful news about Jerusalem.  He’s so overwhelmed by the news, he sits down and weeps.  Then, in his next breath … it’s then that he defines who He knows God to be.  Beautiful.  It’s just beautiful.

If you’ll allow me to piggy-back on the “unfair” theme from my last blog, I tend to default to self-pity when hit with bad news.  As I’m (hopefully) growing, I don’t stay there for very long but … it’s the default none-the –less.  Where, oh where, is my inner Nehemiah?

My goal:  to have God reset my default to knowing … knowing without a doubt who HE is … right smack in the middle of trouble … whether it’s in River City or in my heart … trouble with a capital “T” robs me of joy … and of truth … the truth of knowing and seeing this God of mine as He truly is.  Beautiful.