REMEMBER… RETURN. Nehemiah 1:8-9 In the Bible, “remember” is used not only to recall people or events to our minds but also to express concern for people and to take steps to care for them with love and grace. Nehemiah’s motive in his service was to please the Sovereign God, as he states in the last verse of the book.
God’s promises had been given, and Nehemiah wanted to claim the promise to gather His people and bring them to the place He had chosen for His name. The threat to scatter the Israelites for not doing what God said and for rejecting Him had been fulfilled. Now, Nehemiah had the courage to believe that God’s promise to regather them would also be fulfilled.
He had not experienced the hardships of the remnant who returned to Judah, but he chose to identify with them. He fasted, mourned, and prayed for many days, even though he would have had access to all the palace offered to civil servants. He believed the Jews had returned to God, and his prayer was a desire to claim God's promise to His people.
God allowed Moses to glimpse the future, seeing Israel turn away from God and be scattered among the nations. For those who read these words hundreds of years later, it would have been both sad and disheartening, yet a reminder that hope remains and that there is light at the end of the dark tunnel of captivity. Restoration is possible when repentance and forsaking sin are genuine. There were times in the Israelites' lives when they turned away from God, and as a result, they experienced the consequences of failed growing seasons, captivity by other nations, and the loss of all they had hoped for and enjoyed. Yet God assured them that if they returned to Him, He would welcome them back. By following His way, their prosperity would be restored, and they could once again enjoy His blessings.
Despite our failures, shortcomings, and disobedience, God is willing to show us mercy. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Those who stray far from His will and His way can find acceptance when they return to Him. He will give us a new beginning. Walking in God's ways and obeying His commands are within our reach. He will restore to us "the years that the locusts have eaten."
God Himself is "near unto all that call upon Him out of a pure heart." Obedience to God is reasonable. His demands are expressed in ways that make sense. The laws He gave are good and right for the purpose for which they were given. Proper conduct of life can be maintained and will prevent confusion and chaos from running rampant in countries, communities, assemblies, families, and personal lives. Obeying God is simple and never pointless.
We will face problems in life, and prayer clarifies what they are, helping us define them in as few words as possible. Then we can articulate to the Lord what we are asking for without being too wordy, redundant, or overly general. When we ask God for help to do His will responsibly, we should be precise. Nehemiah wanted favor with the king. He wanted to rebuild the gates and walls of the city of Jerusalem. He wanted the trouble and reproach in Jerusalem to end. When our hearts and attitudes are right, our concern and prayers will be real, and we can expect God to work.
God does not hide Himself to remain secret or to stay away from us. His words are not concealed from us. They are not beyond our reach or understanding. His commands are straightforward enough that we won't struggle to follow them. Outward obedience is not the same as doing God's will from the heart. Still, we must decide whom we will serve. Life or death, blessing or curse— these are choices we are given to make. Not only are God's commands reasonable, but they are also doable. They are clear, concise, and easily understood when we apply the principles of righteousness. To return to the Lord with sincerity and a confession of guilt and waywardness is one thing. To have prepared hearts for what lies ahead is quite a different matter. Service for God does not happen automatically when we return to the place of fellowship. Service for God requires taking time to consider whether we are willing to pay the price of complete commitment to the Lord. Preparing our hearts to serve the Lord means that any hindrances must go, and the needed effort, time, and use of talent and gifts will be ready to be used at any time. It is not unusual for the high ground of repentance and returning to fellowship with God, to be a challenge to the enemy of souls. The devil opposes us when we are at our highest condition of soul.
When discouragement, defeat, or despair have taken us prisoner, this remains true. If we pause what we are doing and, in heartfelt prayer, turn to our Father in heaven, He will answer that prayer. There are times when it seems the blessings of life have stopped, and we wonder what to do next. We must pause to remember that God knows even our thoughts. Any genuine return to God will follow a similar path. Devotion to God in a leader, combined with a sincere desire for the spiritual well-being of all God's children, will resonate with the people, and they will usually strongly support what this kind of leader promotes. When sincerity and authenticity are clear in those who care for and lead God's flock, the saints who love the Lord will naturally follow their guidance.
Submitting our minds, wills, emotions, and bodies to the Lord enables us to be guided by the Holy Spirit into all truth. God wants His people to come to Him and does not want to turn away from them because of their stubbornness and rebellion against Him. God offered mercy to the nation of Israel, and He offers mercy to every individual now who will return unto the Lord. People, wherever and whoever they are, will be accepted when they seek the Lord with their hearts and call upon Him in faith after repentance and forsaking their sin. This is a fact.
The free nourishment from God is ours when we come to Him and listen to His word. It is our responsibility to seek the Lord and call upon Him now. The person who is eager for food for their soul will find it there and then. When God makes covenant promises, they are like “sure mercies.” They do not fail, nor does He forget to give them. To call on the Lord while He is near indicates that a time will come when He is not near.