You're Right. I'm Wrong. I'm Sorry.
And I said, "O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your dispersed be under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.' They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man." Now I was cupbearer to the king. -- Nehemiah 1:5-11; English Standard Version (emphasis mine)
I love my dad. I think he's funny, even when he's not trying to be funny. Here's an illustration: Dad gave me bad directions while we were traveling through Richmond, VA once. He never would admit he was wrong, even though the other two people in the car with us clearly saw he was wrong and so did I. We bantered back and forth a little (actually, nearly two hours). Finally, I said, "Daddy, you've got 'Fonzieitis'." He said, "What in the world are you talking about?" I reminded him of the character from Happy Days, Arthur Fonzarelli, who could never say "I'm wrong" or "I'm sorry". The words would always get jumbled up in his mouth and refuse to come out.
We all had a good laugh at my father. He never said he was wrong. He continued to say I had been wrong. So, irregardless of what he would even START to say I would immediately retort with "You're right. I'm wrong. I'm sorry."
Nehemiah gives us another great example in how to respond to something. His response isn't all that funny though. His is too convicting to be funny.
When Nehemiah heard of the plight of the people he did not begin to rant and rave and stomp around like a fool. He began to confess. He confessed the sins of his people.
Then we can see something very interesting in Nehemiah's response. Nehemiah confesses HIS own sin! Amazing! Nehemiah did not play the denial game or the blame game; he saw his part in Israel's disobedience and confessed it.
Today's passage is chocked full golden nuggets of learning, but this one really jumps out at me. I think of the plight of the church in America; I think of the plight of our nation; I think of the plight of our world at large. After much thought, I come to the following conclusion:
Lord, You are right. Lord, I am wrong. Lord, I am sorry. Please heal our churches. Please heal our nation. Please heal our world. Thank You for listening.
And I said, "O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your dispersed be under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.' They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man." Now I was cupbearer to the king. -- Nehemiah 1:5-11; English Standard Version (emphasis mine)
I love my dad. I think he's funny, even when he's not trying to be funny. Here's an illustration: Dad gave me bad directions while we were traveling through Richmond, VA once. He never would admit he was wrong, even though the other two people in the car with us clearly saw he was wrong and so did I. We bantered back and forth a little (actually, nearly two hours). Finally, I said, "Daddy, you've got 'Fonzieitis'." He said, "What in the world are you talking about?" I reminded him of the character from Happy Days, Arthur Fonzarelli, who could never say "I'm wrong" or "I'm sorry". The words would always get jumbled up in his mouth and refuse to come out.
We all had a good laugh at my father. He never said he was wrong. He continued to say I had been wrong. So, irregardless of what he would even START to say I would immediately retort with "You're right. I'm wrong. I'm sorry."
Nehemiah gives us another great example in how to respond to something. His response isn't all that funny though. His is too convicting to be funny.
When Nehemiah heard of the plight of the people he did not begin to rant and rave and stomp around like a fool. He began to confess. He confessed the sins of his people.
Then we can see something very interesting in Nehemiah's response. Nehemiah confesses HIS own sin! Amazing! Nehemiah did not play the denial game or the blame game; he saw his part in Israel's disobedience and confessed it.
Today's passage is chocked full golden nuggets of learning, but this one really jumps out at me. I think of the plight of the church in America; I think of the plight of our nation; I think of the plight of our world at large. After much thought, I come to the following conclusion:
Lord, You are right. Lord, I am wrong. Lord, I am sorry. Please heal our churches. Please heal our nation. Please heal our world. Thank You for listening.
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