Dust and Devotion | Nehemiah 9:1-3

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the Lord their God. — Nehemiah 9:1-3 CALL OUT: To Kevin Voeltzke, a listener and partner from Westin, WI. Thanks for your support and partnership in the Gospel. I pray this blesses you today. Three behaviors commonly associated with grief mark this moment: fasting, wearing sackcloth, and putting dust on their heads. Each held some manner of spiritual significance: Fasting: Fasting is the denial of food. It symbolizes a decision to deny yourself of sustenance for a period of time and turn your full focus to God. Wearing Sackcloth: Sackcloth is an abrasive fabric often made from goat's hair. It symbolizes humility and penance that is willing to leave luxuries and comforts behind. Dust On Heads: In essence, they put mud on their face to dirty themselves. It was a way for a repentant person to demonstrate their desire and need for cleansing or purification. So why is all this important? It's important because the people had some unfinished business with God. While the spiritual leaders wanted them to turn their sadness to gladness for the celebration of the Feast of Booths, they were not going to escape the need for repentance and reconciliation of both personal and corporate sin. Sin was the reason for their captivity and the reason they were so out of touch with Scripture and God. Therefore, the day following the Feast becomes a day of confession and rededication. A day they dedicated to the open confession of sin and a vigorous return to the terms of the covenant. So, they marked this moment with a service that included both confession and rededication. A lot of what we read here is, for some reason, left out of our modern church experiences. Open times of confession seem a little too invasive. Fasting is not a corporate spiritual activity; it's a weight loss technique. We don't reject sinful behaviors any longer; we are just told to love and accept unbiblical behavior that is condoned and forced celebrated by the world. Days of rededication are non-existent, even though I think they are desperately needed. But just because your church isn't doing these things does not mean you can not do them yourselves. Confession and rededication are good for your soul. Some of you might need this today. So, if you are ready to do this and not sure what to do. I am going to give you my email. You can send me your private confession and commitment to rededication. Seriously, send it to me if you are ready to go all in. And let's see what God does. Just send it to this email: vince+repent@beresolute.org. #Nehemiah9, #RepentanceJourney, #SpiritualRededication, #ConfessionAndFaith, #FastingForGod, #SackclothSymbolism, #HumilityInChrist, #PersonalGrowthInFaith, #SpiritualDisciplines, #CorporateRepentance ASK THIS: The Israelites demonstrate a profound act of repentance by fasting, wearing sackcloth, and putting dust on their heads. Reflect on your own life: What does true repentance look like for you in a modern context? How can you incorporate acts of repentance into your daily life in a way that is both meaningful and sincere, helping you to grow closer to God? DO THIS: Send Vince an email of confession and rededication. PRAY THIS: Father, grant me the courage and humility to earnestly seek Your forgiveness, openly confessing my sins and rededicating my life to Your will. May Your grace and mercy guide me on this path of repentance, drawing me closer to You and strengthening my faith each day. Amen. PLAY THIS: O Come To The Altar. Check out other all Vince Miller's videos and audios for small groups at: https://beresolute.org/ Get Vince's most widely read resources The Daily Devotional at: https://beresolute.org/mdd Check out more ALL IN products like the one Vince is wearing at: https://beresolute.org/product-category/all-in-hats/ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Vince socially: FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/millervince INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/vinceleemiller LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincemiller TWITTER: https://twitter.com/vinceleemiller