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August – September 2026: The Book of Nehemiah
On Tuesday 18th August we began a brand new series of Daily Inspirations – in the Book of Nehemiah. It’s a riveting tale of someone being called by God to do something amazing – and then doing it! Nehemiah is a wonderful character, full of faith, wisdom and practical common sense. Let’s journey with him over the next three weeks or so, and be inspired by his example.
- Day 24, Monday 21st September – Nehemiah 13:15-22 ‘Respecting the Sabbath’
We live in a workaholic society. Take the Enlightenment dogma of continuous progress, mix with a subtle blend of the Protestant work ethic, add a sprinkling of consumerist worship at the altar of customer entitlement, shake thoroughly and hey presto! A fabulous modernist cocktail. And, like a cocktail, tasty as it seems at the time, drink too many and you’ll pay for it in the end.
Teaching on the value of sabbath has never been more important, or harder to achieve. It’s tempting to think, though, that it ‘must’ have been easier in ancient times. Not so; although at first reading today’s passage appears as yet another example of ‘silly’ disobedience on the part of God’s people – they know what they needed to do, they just didn’t do it – look below the surface and this fragile community were facing serious pressures. Imagine leaving Babylon – the largest and wealthiest empire in the world – to set up business again in Israel: chances are business was tough, the large and lucrative markets weren’t there, especially with hostile nations around them. No wonder they were tempted to open on the Sabbath; to do seven days of business rather than six.
It’s so easy to think like that, isn’t it? But to do so misses the ultimate point of Sabbath: it is not just about rest (though that is vital and fundamental), it’s about trust. We stop for a day, trusting God to provide for our needs. We refuse to believe the appealing little lie that our success in life depends entirely on our own efforts. We remind ourselves that we are not our own gods, and joyfully submit to the one true God, who graciously and lovingly provides what we need.
This is what Nehemiah was so worked up about; we might see his response as an over-reaction, but Nehemiah knew his history: (v18) ‘Didn’t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.’ The Sabbath, almost more than any other commandment, was a touchstone of the people’s relationship with the Lord – precisely because it indicated how much they were trusting Him. Hence the extreme measures Nehemiah took to preserve it (vv19-21).
As we reflect today, let’s return to those Sabbath themes of rest and trust. Which speaks to you? Where is the Lord nudging you toward renewal in your life? And let’s use the words of Nehemiah’s simple prayer as our response: (v22) ‘Remember me… my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.’ Amen.
- Thursday 30th July – Ephesians 1:13-17 ‘The heavenly down-payment’Read more...
For many hundreds of years, a wax seal has been used to mark letters of importance. A seal indicates both the sender and the authority attached to the contents of the letter. You may be surprised to learn that the practice is still in use today. For example, when Harry and Meghan got married in 2018 they required a royal ‘Instrument ...
- Wednesday 29th July – Galatians 5:25-26 ‘Keeping in step’Read more...
On Albert Bridge which crosses the River Thames in Battersea, near where we used to live, you’ll find a plaque: ‘All troops must break step when marching over this bridge.’ The story behind this is that in 1831 the Broughton Suspension Bridge (now in Salford, Manchester) collapsed as a troop of 74 men marched across. Investigations put this down to the effects ...
- Tuesday 28th July – Galatians 5:16-23 ‘The fruit of the Spirit’Read more...
How do you test the value of anything? It’s a good question to ask, and nowadays we have lots of clever analytical tools to do just that for almost any type of situation. But Jesus’ answer to this question was disarmingly simple: look at the fruit it produces. Is it good or bad? Is there lots of it, or not much at ...
- Monday 27th July – 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 ‘Ever increasing glory’Read more...
When I was a student, I used to earn my money in the long summers working for a builder. Sometimes the work would be nice and easy – glossing outdoor window frames in the sunshine, with factor 15 and the radio on. Other times the work would be much harder. My least favourite job of all was fitting plasterboard ceilings. ...
- Saturday 25th July – 1 Corinthians 15:42-49 ‘Final Reality’Read more...
How do you imagine heaven? For many of us, it’s hard to shake that idea of sitting on a cloud, maybe wearing a halo, quite possibly getting a bit bored.
This is not the bible’s view of heaven! The great story of Scripture is that, at the end of time, heaven and earth come together – ‘the ...