Read: Nehemiah 12-13
Focus Verse: “Some time later I asked his permission and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobias a room in the courts of the house of God.” (Nehemiah 13:6b-7).
Devotion: Nehemiah, at the beginning of this book we see he asks permission from the King of Persia to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city. The king grants his request but asks that he give a timetable to return to Persia. So this story takes place when Nehemiah has returned to the king of Persia and now returns to Jerusalem. Remember too that this is the same Nehemiah who spoke out against charging interest and mistreating workers. He has been a champion for God and a champion of the people. He was there to read the law and help the people recommit themselves to God. When he returns, however, he finds things in disarray, so he freaks out and starts speaking out to fix it. Their leader is gone a short time and already they are falling away from God. But isn’t that how it is with us sometimes? We have to keep our gaze fixed on Jesus lest we lose weight and fall away. Jesus is our leader, and he doesn’t leave us, but it is our lives that sometimes leave him, and when we do we find ourselves falling into disarray.
Pray: LORD help me keep my eyes on You so I don’t fall away into disarray. Amen.
Additional Scripture: “See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1)