Day 15

“But out of reverence for God I did not act like that.” Nehemiah 5:15

In Nehemiah chapter 5 there is an outcry among the Jewish people concerning the injustice they had been experiencing among their fellow Jews and from the nobles and officials. People were being exploited and even children had to be sold as slaves to survive. The whole situation upset Nehemiah upon which he spoke to the leaders and said, “Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies?” (5:9)
Nehemiah addresses the real issue. Those who are mistreating their fellow men are not walking in the fear of the Lord. Nehemiah was different. He lived his life in reverence for God. In Isaiah 11:2 and 3 we read that the Spirit of the fear of the Lord will rest on Jesus (the stump of Jesse) and that he will delight in the fear of the Lord! To delight in the fear of the Lord is to find joy in God’s abiding presence and to live to give Him pleasure (see Rom 12:1; 2 Cor. 5:9,11). The fear of the Lord should influence our thoughts, attitudes, choices, behaviour and purpose in life. That is why spending time in the secret place is so important for cultivating our sensitivity to the presence of God. Spend time with God today. Become present to God as He becomes present to you. Learn to delight in the fear of the Lord.
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„..ich aber machte es nicht so, um der Furcht Gottes willen.“ Nehemiah 5,15

In Nehemia Kapitel 5 gibt es einen Aufschrei unter dem jüdischen Volk über die Ungerechtigkeit, die sie unter ihren Mitjuden und von den Adligen und Beamten erfahren haben. Menschen wurden ausgebeutet, und selbst Kinder mussten als Sklaven verkauft werden, um zu überleben. Die ganze Situation verärgerte Nehemia, woraufhin er mit den Leitern sprach und sagte: "Solltet ihr nicht in der Furcht vor unserem Gott wandeln, um den Vorwurf unserer heidnischen Feinde zu vermeiden?" (5:9)
Nehemia spricht das eigentliche Problem an. Diejenigen, die ihre Mitmenschen misshandeln, wandeln nicht in der Furcht des Herrn. Nehemia war anders. Er lebte sein Leben in Ehrfurcht vor Gott. In Jesaja 11:2 und 3 lesen wir, dass der Geist der Furcht des Herrn auf Jesus (dem Stamm Jesse) ruhen wird und dass er sich über die Furcht vor dem Herrn freuen wird! Sich an der Furcht vor dem Herrn zu erfreuen bedeutet, Freude an der bleibenden Gegenwart Gottes zu finden und dafür zu leben, ihm Freude zu bereiten (siehe Römer 12,1; 2. Kor 5,9.11). Die Furcht des Herrn sollte unsere Gedanken, Einstellungen, Entscheidungen, Verhaltensweisen und Ziele im Leben beeinflussen. Deshalb ist es so wichtig, Zeit an dem geheimen Ort zu verbringen, um unsere Sensibilität für die Gegenwart Gottes zu fördern. Verbringe heute Zeit mit Gott. Werde präsent für Gott, so wie Er präsent für dich wird. Lerne, dich an der Furcht des Herrn zu erfreuen.

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