“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 9:3
Times of great spiritual revival and renewal typically feature deep devotion to reading and hearing God’s Word, zeal for worship, and total honesty in confessing sins. These things are the opposite of the more casual and shallow attitude God’s people often have toward these sacred privileges.
Does deep devotion to the Word, worship, prayer, and confession drive revival and renewal? Or does revival and renewal spark such devotion? The answer is probably yes to both as the Holy Spirit moves powerfully amongst God’s people.
What would happen if God’s people made time in their schedules, checked their impatience at the door, and prioritized these things the way Israel did in the time of Nehemiah? Could you imagine a gathering (large or small) committed to standing and reading Scripture for a quarter of the day? Committed to prayer and worship for another quarter of the day after that? That was serious about confessing sins, both individual and collective?
These things are so out of the typical patterns and routines for Christians today. But what if…. What might God do with that? #FollowJesus