-Scripture:

Nehemiah 9:24-26

24 Their children went in and took possession of the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land; you gave the Canaanites into their hands, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased. 25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in your great goodness.

26 “But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they turned their backs on your law. They killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies.

A little background: when they completed the wall, this was the time of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), one of the feasts that they had forgotten to keep for 1000 years. They would hear the word for six hours, and the priest would help them understand the Torah; then they would pray on their knees for six hours. This was a day fully committed to the Lord; we are in that time right now: the Feast of Tabernacles; it was September/October.  

So, this prayer is a culmination of that teaching, where Ezra is recounting what the Lord had done, how He had redeemed them from the iron furnace, how He provided for them, how He was covering by day and a light by night, how He rained down manna from heaven, how their possessions didn't wear out, how He prepared a place of promise for them.   Listen to the verb sentences from this prayer: 

Creation (v. 6)

• You made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their army, the earth and all things on it, the seas and all that is in them.
• You preserve them all.

Abraham (vv. 7–8)

• You chose Abram.
• You brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees.
• You gave him the name Abraham.
• You found his heart faithful before you.
• You made a covenant with him to give the land to his offspring.
• You have performed your words.

Egypt and the Exodus (vv. 9–11)

• You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt.
• You heard their cry by the Red Sea.
• You showed signs and wonders on Pharaoh, his servants, and all the people of his land.
• You knew that they dealt proudly against them.
• You made a name for yourself.
• You divided the sea before them.
• You cast their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into mighty waters.

Wilderness and Sinai (vv. 12–15)

• You led them by day in a pillar of cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light.
• You came down on Mount Sinai.
• You spoke with them from heaven.
• You gave them right ordinances, true laws, good statutes and commandments.
• You made known to them your holy Sabbath.
• You commanded them commandments, statutes, and a law by Moses your servant.
• You gave them bread from the sky for their hunger.
• You brought water out of the rock for their thirst.
• You commanded them to go in and possess the land you had sworn to give them.

Mercy after rebellion (vv. 17–21)

• You did not forsake them (v. 17).
• In your manifold mercies you did not forsake them in the wilderness (v. 19).
• You gave your good Spirit to instruct them.
• You did not withhold your manna from their mouth.
• You gave them water for their thirst.
• You sustained them forty years in the wilderness.

The land (vv. 22–25)

• You gave them kingdoms and peoples.
• You allotted them according to their portions.
• You multiplied their children as the stars of the sky.
• You brought them into the land you promised their fathers.
• You subdued the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, before them.
• You gave them into their hands.

The cycle of the judges and kings (vv. 27–31)

• You delivered them into the hand of their adversaries.
• You heard from heaven when they cried to you.
• You gave them saviors who saved them from their adversaries.
• You left them in the hand of their enemies.
• You heard from heaven again.
• You delivered them many times according to your mercies.
• You testified against them to bring them back to your law.
• You bore with them many years.
• You testified against them by your Spirit through your prophets.
• You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
• In your great mercies you did not make a full end of them.
• You did not forsake them.

Present confession (vv. 32–37)

• You keep covenant and loving kindness (v. 32).
• You have dealt truly (v. 33).
• You gave them your great goodness and a large, fertile land (v. 35).
• You gave the land to our fathers to eat its fruit and its good (v. 36).
• You have set kings over us because of our sins (v. 37).

Today our God-Shot is that we would see the God who does, that He keeps His promise of loving kindness; He deals with us righteously; that He gives us goodness; you never forsake us, you are a covering by day and a light by night; that we should never get far from you, you still speak to us.   You are the God who IS, and who DOES.  This is an important distinction: because you keep your word, we can stand on it.  

The challenge:   Get in the Word (Make this your time of Sukkot, Feast of Tabernacles), Get on your Knees, pray, seek the Lord.

Lord, you have never failed us. Even when we have failed you, you keep your word; we can stand on your faithfulness. You are just as strong today as you always were, and always will be. We can build our life on you and your words; may our hearts always be near you, always turn toward you, may we guard our ways, and seek to always seek you, in Jesus' name, Amen!