PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Nehemiah 8:1-3,5-6,8-10 Reactions to the Law

Time to Reflect: Reading the Bible can sometimes be distressing. Most of us tend to not read those parts or any part of the Bible. Another reaction, like the people here, is to get discouraged. That isn't particularly helpful either. What Nehemiah and Ezra were trying to get the people to realize is that the Torah reflects God's love and covenant with them. God cares enough to ask a lot of his people. That is good news, not a burden.

Moving Through the Day: Meditate on your feelings about the Bible. Are these feelings helpful? An easy out? Connecting you to God?

Scripture:  

Nehemiah 8:1-3,5-6,8-10

81all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. 2Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. 3He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 5And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen’, lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 8So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’