Nehemiah is one of those leadership books that I never tire of. As a person in fund development, I particularly like chapters 1 and 2. However, through the lens of love and unity, I see Nehemiah also about promises and protection as well as prayer. I see God’s faithfulness and that includes His faithful love towards those who are called by His Name.
What makes faithful love so dynamic is that this love is true despite what I have done in my past, what I am doing right now in the present and what I will be doing in the future to disobey Him. Oh to tell of the stories of His faithful love in our lives.
Then again, it might be a song…
And they sang a new song:
You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because You were slaughtered,
and You redeemed[e] people[f]
for God by Your blood
from every tribe and language
and people and nation.
You made them a kingdom[g]
and priests to our God,
and they will reign on the earth. – Revelation 5:9-10 HCSB
God is love and He can love me because He made me in His image. Sometimes I wonder how he reconciles His justice and love. I heard a story once, of course it involves humans and so I in no way want to ascribe the story to Jesus’ love but it is a resemblance of possibilities.
There is a story of a king who was righteous, loving and generous. One day he found that someone had devastated his kingdom’s economy. For his people’s good, he issued a decree that whoever had done this must have his eyes plucked out. Sometime later, the culprit was discovered. It was an unintentional act of the beloved crown prince. The king was in a dilemma. If he did not keep his own decree, his kingdom would be corrupted by injustice. But keeping the decree meant blinding the crown prince. After much agonizing, he found a way. He offered one of his own eyes to be plucked out in place of one of the prince’s. Then both would still have one eye.
I will never understand the depth of God’s holiness, nor can I understand justice and love with human reason. But this one thing I do know – God loved me, even when I was a sinner, and Jesus died for me. By His death, Jesus reconciled God’s justice and love perfectly and brought honour and glory to His Father.
Father, Your faithful love amazes me everyday. Every day I am grateful for it sustains me in my walk with You. While I cannot explain everything, it matters that Your love is present for there I find myself safe. Thank You!
Sixty-six books in a year 