August 9

Day 148: Final Reforms

The Jerusalem rebuilding project was completed, and Nehemiah returned to his overlord in Persia. After some time, he was permitted to return to Jerusalem.

What he found disappointed him. The walls were rebuilt, but the people had reverted to living broken lives. Chapter 13 is thus correctly entitled, "Final Reforms."

The people had again married foreign wives. The majority of their resultant children couldn't even speak Hebrew.

The leaders had not been faithful to provide for the Levites and the worship singers. Thus, the Levites and worship singers had returned to their family lands outside the city, just to make a living and survive. So worship had been lacking, and infrequent.

They had even harbored the loudest critics of Nehemiah and the rebuilding project. One in the Temple itself.

But the biggest thing to frustrate Nehemiah? The people had again reverted to ignoring the Sabbath each week. Business and commerce just went on, like any other workday.

I read once that only 10% of the working population can be productive without onsite supervision. I also read that only 10% can be productive working from home. (Covid restrictions may prove this true.)

Most people, without supervision, quickly become unproductive. More so, most people will quickly become invisible in their faith, if not surrounded by other believers.

We're all well versed at talking the talk, as long as people  near us know that language. We know how to be Christians when around other Christians. We all know how to perform when called upon.

Like people living in the "Bible Belt," we all know, as native culture, how to "do church."

But it is who we are when no one else is looking that determines who we really are.

We all need final reforms. Internal reforms. Lasting reforms.

It is easy for any of us to be convinced of this: That we can put yet another coat of gold paint on the car, to impress, to fit in on Sundays. All the while needing a new engine.

Perhaps the biggest reform needed, in any of us, is being willing to take responsibility - responsibility for the development of our own hearts before God.

Not simply living like spiritual foreigners six days a week, and then being different for an hour or two on Sundays.

Taking seriously He who does supervise, Who is onsite. Who sees and knows His own.

Instead of being content to be two different people, always in need of final reforms.

-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church | Juneau