Stand Up!

Daily Reading:  Nehemiah 9

Stand up and bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. (Nehemiah 9.5)

Devotional Thought: The first half of Nehemiah, the people built the wall.  In the second half, we see them at worship within the walls.

We find the people assembled to hear the Word of God in 9.1.   That Word led them to confess.  Having seen their lives in light of the Word, they realized how short they were falling.  The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3.23).  Christian worship, centered on the Word, helps us see our need for the Savior!

Having assembled and confessed, the people were instructed by their worship leaders (the Levites) in verse 5 to...

Stand.  They stood to give God attention and reverence.  Throughout the Bible we see that physical posture impacts spiritual posture.  In the Gospels, people knelt before Jesus, ran to him, bowed in his presence, fell on their faces, and raised their arms.  Also, it was a practice in Jesus' day to stand as the Rabbi taught.  Perhaps we could give a little more attention to our posture before the Lord.  Does it show attention and reverence?

Bless.  The people blessed the Lord; they blessed his name.  We want to receive a blessing at church, but should we not be more concerned to give God a blessing and also to bless others?  As the old chorus goes, "So forget about yourself and concentrate on him..."  May my worship bless the heart of my great Savior!

Praise.  It blesses the heart of God when we, like the people then, recount the wonderful deeds and attributes of God.  Indeed, He is worthy of praise!  Let us exalt His name forever!

These are still great instructions.  Assemble!  Confess!  Stand up!  Bless! And praise the Lord!

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of worship.  I want to praise you with all my heart and soul.  Help me to give my best attention to worship that I might honor you and you alone.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 107:17-22

17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.

18 They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death.

19 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.

20 He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.

21 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.

22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.