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An
Outreach Publication of the Church of Christ at
Creekwood |
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What's Missing? The year was 444 B.C. The city of Jerusalem lay unprotected because its walls had been broken down and its gates had been burned with fire by Nebuchednezzar, King of Babylon, and his army. However, a man by the name of Nehemiah, who had been serving as cupbearer to the King of Persia (the dominant world power at that time), was given permission to go to Jerusalem, his homeland, to rebuild the walls around the city. After Nehemiah inspected the damaged walls for himself, he exhorted the people of Israel to help him to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. The Israelites rallied to the cause. With Nehemiah’s leadership, they rebuilt the walls in just 52 days! Now that the walls of Jerusalem had been rebuilt, her inhabitants felt safe again. Yet, they felt “something” was missing... Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate of Jerusalem, and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law which the LORD had given to them through Moses. Ezra read from the Book from morning until midday while the people stood. When he finished reading, the people wept. Why? Because they had disobeyed the Lord’s instructions. However, from that day on, they renewed their commitment to reading and heeding the Lord’s commands (Read Nehemiah 8 in the Bible). Reflect
upon the context of this event again.
The wall reconstruction project had I’m afraid many today feel secure in the “walls” of their own homes and in the routine of their every day lives. Many of them have all of the “creature comforts” that money can buy. But, I also believe that many of them STILL feel empty and dissatisfied. Why? Because there is a spiritual vacuum in their lives. As someone has well said, “There is a God-shaped hole in their hearts that ONLY God can fill.” The remedy is the same as it was in Nehemiah’s day. WE need to dust off our Bibles, read them, accept the teachings therein, and obey them! Outside the walls of our comfortable yet unsettled lives, God is calling each and every one of us, inviting us into a relationship with Him. This relationship has been made possible through the GIFT of His Son whom He sent to die for our sins -- the very things that put a wall up between us and the God of heaven. Whoever hears His word, believes it and believes in the One (Jesus) who is God’s answer for sin, and obeys the instructions of repenting of our sins, confessing Christ before men, being baptized for the forgiveness of sins, and THEN following Him for the rest of his/her life, is welcomed into the only relationship that can give us what we are missing. Is something -- or Someone -- missing in your life? There IS if you don’t have God! Won’t
you believe and obey? (click
here)
David A. Sargent,
Minister To Subscribe to "Living Water" send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net Follow this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchsearch.org Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org |