Devotion
What’s wrong Nehemiah? Why do you look sad?
David Jacobs
If you have read the Old Testament closely, something may jump out at you when you read this passage. Do you notice something different? Notice the first sentence of the book: it is written from the first-person perspective. Parts of the book of Ezra are also written from the first-person perspective (Ezra 7:1-11). If you are anything like me, you are excited by this and also wondering why these books are written in a similar style.
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah were originally written as one book. Ezra is believed to be the author of these books as he was a noted scribe (Ezra 7:6-10) and it would explain why parts of the book of Ezra were written from the first-person perspective.
Now let's look at the verses I selected. Nehemiah is a Jewish servant working for King Artaxerxes. The king notices Nehemiah looking sad and inquires as to why. Nehemiah wonders inwardly whether he should say his true feelings, prays to God, and tells the king why: he is unhappy because Israel has been destroyed, the people exiled, and he is doing nothing about it. He asks the king to let him go and, perhaps to his surprise, the king grants his wish. "Ask and ye shall receive" (Matthew 7:7).
Prayer
There is so much beauty to be unlocked in the Bible. Reading these verses for the first time and noticing the perspective change encourage me to learn more. The verses themselves are inspiring and touching, with Nehemiah mustering the courage to ask a benevolent king to let him go on a mission to rebuild his homeland. Get excited about the Bible! It makes reading it so much more meaningful.
Devotion
Culpability
Frances Taylor
This is an interesting passage because, among other things, it talks about sin and who is considered guilty of sin. Paul is talking about how he has been forgiven, how God has been merciful to him because his actions were committed in unbelief. In order for sin to be committed, one needs to know he is committing it. No one can commit sin in retrospect. Sin is always a deliberate act. This can be hard for some to understand. Actions can be considered sinful, even though the person committing them may not be culpable. For example, lying is a sin. However, is the two year old hiding behind the curtains sinning when he or she claims not to have broken the vase? No, because the child has no understanding of the difference between truth and lie. Those who do not have a relationship with God, who do not know the commandments, who have never heard of Jesus, may commit sinful actions, but are not guilty of sin. This is what Paul claims is his situation. Paul ...
Morning Prayer
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, ) full of grace and truth.
Inspiration
When the Lord sent his only Son, he sent also his word. For his body was this very word made flesh. Importantly this was not simply a manifestation of God's word, but also rather an 'animation' of it (meant here in the original Latin as 'animare' –'to instill with life or spirit'), an instance of God's love and divine grace in action, among us.
Prayer
Lord, I am grateful for your mercy in showing us your word made flesh so that we may be redeemed. Further, I am grateful to you for showing us your love and grace through your only begotten son. Let his body not have been torn and broken for no avail, but feed us now in the Eucharist. Let not his blood have...
