One of my WR Sisters challenged our squad to begin B90x (a 90-day Bible reading plan) in April.
If I had to actually sit down and read each assigned passage, I would have fallen asleep every time and end up quitting in Leviticus! Luckily, I am allowed to listen to stuff while I work, so I try to listen to each passage twice a day because I’m half listening, half focusing on work (but I usually end up listening slightly more than I work.) I still struggled through Leviticus and some of those other books of nothing but genealogy, measurements, and laws though, but I also got to discover gems like Nehemiah and Esther.
Hidden in the middle of one of this past week’s assigned passages was Nehemiah 9.
In this chapter, the people of Israel have gathered and are celebrating and fasting after rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls. As part of the celebration, the Levites recount all God had done for the nation of Israel, despite their repeated disobedience. Let’s see, there was: the plagues in Egypt; the Red Sea; a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to follow, an all-they-could-eat manna buffet; water from rocks; shoes that never wore out; feet that never got swollen… They lacked nothing for forty years! God even threw in victory from various adversaries as a bonus.
But despite all these displays of love and power, the people of Israel were stubborn, disobedient, rebellious, and nearsighted, so God gave them over to the desires and their enemies. And every time they cried out to God, He delivered them according to his great mercies.
EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Because He is “a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” (v. 17b)
This condensed retelling of God’s work in the life of Israel struck me and has stayed with me. It caused me to stop and intentionally reflect on all the seen and seen-only-with-the-blessing-of-hindsight ways God has provided and protected in my life. I was left astonished, with tangible evidence from the God who created the universe(!), and knowing that I. AM. LOVED.
In my stubbornness, I am loved.
In my disobedience, I am loved.
In my rebellion, I am loved.
In my nearsightedness, I am loved.
In my brokenness, I am loved.
