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Day 14 – Remember Me Nehemiah 12-13 How do you want people to remember you? Nehemiah set all the priests and Levites, singers and porters in their place, then returned to Artaxerxes. Gaining leave from the king after some time, he returned to Jerusalem and found the people had again done evil in God’s sight. They married strange women. Their children didn’t know the language of the Jews. They bought and sold on the Sabbath, and they allowed people who didn’t belong to the priesthood or foreigners into the temple and temple court. Nehemiah set everything right, cleansing the temple and telling the people to put away their strange wives, reminding them that Solomon had done the same, polluting his reign with idolatry. He also got rid of all those who brought merchandise into Jerusalem on the Sabbath, and had the gates closed from the beginning to the end of the Sabbath. With everything Nehemiah did to set things right in Jerusalem and the temple, he asked God to remember him and not charge any evil against him. When it comes to doing God’s work, how do you measure up? How will people remember you? Will God lay any charges against you for the things you do? When we look at how business is transacted, we see transactions taking place 24/7. Marriages today are a mixed bag. By that I mean men and women marry spouses who have no sense of who God is, and become unequally yoked with unbelievers. Our lives are polluted before God. We do whatever we want, whenever we want, and expect God to bless us because we go to church once a week or spend a modicum of time with Him and call it good. If we have learned anything from the people of Israel, it’s that God does not take His Word lightly. He expects obedience and will hold all those who name Him as their God accountable for their actions. When I look at my life in light of what God expects, and what Israel did to provoke God to anger, I know I fall short in every aspect. However, I also know that in falling short I can confess my sin and God will forgive me. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (KJV) 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (KJV) I know I am not perfect, but I also know I am forgiven. How do you measure up? Are you forgiven? Let’s pray: Father, remember me, not for the wrong things I do, but for my faithfulness to You. Help me to come before You daily, confessing my sin, and receiving Your forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 9 February 2016 by Valerie Jean Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay