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September 23, 2020 8:00 pm
“If I touched a Bible, it would catch fire in my hands,” my English professor at a community college said. My heart sank. The novel we’d been reading that morning referenced a Bible verse; and when I pulled out my Bible to look it up, she noticed and commented. My professor seemed to think she was too sinful to be forgiven. Yet I wasn’t bold enough to tell her about God’s love—and that the Bible tells us we can always seek God’s forgiveness.
There’s an example of repentance and forgiveness in Nehemiah. The Israelites had been exiled because of their sin, but now they were allowed to return to Jerusalem. When they’d “settled in,” Ezra the scribe read the law to them (Nehemiah 7:73–8:1). They confessed their sins remembering that, despite their sin, God “did not desert” or “abandon them” (9:17, 19). He “heard them” when they cried out; and in compassion and mercy, He was patient with them (vv. 19, 27–31).
In a similar way, God is patient with us. He won’t abandon us if we choose to confess our sin and turn to Him. I wish I could go back and tell my professor that, no matter her past, Jesus loves her and wants her to be part of His family. He feels the same way about you and me. We can approach Him seeking forgiveness—and He will give it!
Welcome to today's encouragement for today's reading titled never to sinful was written by Julie Schwab. If I touch the Bible it would catch fire in my hands said my community college English professor my heart sank. The novel we've been reading that morning referenced a Bible verse and when I pulled out my Bible to look it up, she noticed and commented my professors seem to think she was to sinful to be forgiven. Yet I wasn't bold enough to tell her about God's love and that the Bible tells us we can always seek God's forgiveness.
There's an example of repentance and forgiveness, and Nehemiah the Israelites had been exiled because of their sin, but now they were allowed to return to Jerusalem when they'd settled in Ezra the scribe read the lot to them. They confessed their sins, remembering that despite their sin. God did not desert, or abandon them. He heard them when they cried out in compassion and mercy.
He was patient with them in a Similar Way, God is patient with us. He won't abandon us if we choose to confess our sin and turn to him.
I wish I could go back and tell my professor that will matter are passed. Jesus loves her and wants her to be a part of his family. He feels the same way about you and me. We can approach him seeking forgiveness and he will give it today's Our Daily Bread devotional Scripture reading is from Nehemiah chapter 9 verse 17 and verses 27 through 31. They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them became stiffnecked and in the rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery, but you are a forgiving God gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore, you did not desert them, and now verses 27 through 31 so you delivered them into the hands of their enemies who oppressed them, but when they were oppressed. They cried out to you from heaven and you heard them and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers who rescued them from the hand of their enemies, but as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight.
Then you abandon them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them and when they cried out to you again. You heard from heaven and in your compassion you delivered them time after time you warned them in order to turn them back to your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands they sinned against your ordinances which you said the person who obeys them will live by them.
Stubbornly they turned their backs on you became stiffnecked and refuse to listen for many years, you will patient with them by your spirit you warned them through your profits.
Yet they paid no attention so you gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples, but in your great mercy did not put an end to them or abandon them for you are a gracious and merciful God.
Let's pray dear father, thank you for forgiving our sins and for your assurance that no one is to sinful to be forgiven up to be fearless when you give us opportunities to share about who we are in Christ and fill us with grace and courage and show us how we can be a light to someone who doesn't know you. It's in Jesus name we pray.
Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread ministries
