LEARNING TO CONFESS WITH HUMILITY—DAY 2 (Tuesday)

Jul 26, 2022
2 min read

Nehemiah 9:18-21

“Even when they made a molded calf for themselves, and said, ‘This is your god That brought you up out of Egypt,’ and worked great provocations, Yet in Your manifold mercies You did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day, to lead them on the road; nor the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way they should go. You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, and did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst. Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing; their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

When God is my Lord, many things begin to make sense to me. The stupid things I do without Him do not hinder His love for me. When the Israelites made a molded calf for themselves, they clearly wandered from the path God intended for them and His instructions. Yet in His mercy, He did not forsake them in the wilderness. The Israelites experienced God’s grace, even while they wandered from Him. The pillar of cloud continued to lead them, and the pillar of fire remained illumining their way. The Israelites were perpetually instructed by His good Spirit; God unceasingly provided them manna and water daily. He persisted in giving them grace by sustaining them in the wilderness.

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS: When God rains down His grace on me, is it only when I do good things? If He stopped giving me grace when I do things without Him, I wouldn’t still be living! I need to realize that God is watching over me all the time. He watches over me when I’m running to Him, and He watches over me when I’m running from Him. How do I know? Since the Holy Spirit resides in my heart, He goes wherever I go. He also lets me know that He in my heart. If I pay attention, I can understand what He is telling me. If I don’t pay attention, He hasn’t stopped working; I have just chosen to ignore Him for a while.

I don’t intend to ignore the Holy Spirit, but the things of this world and the pleasures of this life draw me away from listening. Am I able to help myself? Yes, I can, if I choose to! I can make time to meet with the Lord; it’s more valuable to set an appointment to meet with the Lord than with anyone else! I can make time to read and study His Word. Through understanding Scripture, I can tell others what I have learned.

Lord, I need to make time to understand Your grace in loving me. You surround me with Your love which is full of forgiveness, and for that I am grateful! With the time I give You, please infuse me with Your goodness, so I will be Spirit-led and not self-led. When I lead myself, I get nowhere! I want to be led by You alone! Amen.

May you be blessed,

Chaplain Wayne Ruckman