Read Nehemiah 8-10; for extra credit, read Nehemiah 13 -- if you picture the action in your head I guarantee it will bring a smile to your face!

Today's Devotion -- Nehemiah 9:38

38 "In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in
writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals
to it." (NIV)

Taken from www.biblegateway.com

In chapter 8 Ezra (the priest and scribe) read the Book of the Law of Moses to the people at their request. In fact, he read from sunrise until noon for at least eight days, and it says the people listened attentively and worshipped God.

As a result of their newly 'rediscovered' knowledge of the scripture, the Israelites fasted, wore sack cloth, and put dust on their heads. They confessed their sins and the sins of their forefathers. This lead to our devotional verse for the day, in which they promise to create a written document full of the promises about their behavior in the future.

Their promises inlcude:
- not intermarrying
- not buying merchandise on the Sabbath,
- giving appropriate tithes, offerings, and sacrifices
- not neglecting the house of the Lord.

What if our church were to do this? What sins would we confess as a group? And what promises would we make?

Read on to Nehemiah 13 and see what happens when they forget their promises. I have to say that I picture Charles in the role of Nehemiah....