Title: Nehemiah's Devotion
Contents
Nehemiah had served 12 years as governor, but he did not receive the rust that he should have received as governor. It is natural for the governor to receive the king's salary. But he didn't do that.
Why did Nehemiah not receive a salary? Is it because you have a lot of original property? Or, did you not receive it because someone secretly sponsored it from behind? He explains the reason why he didn't get paid in one word. 'Because the people's labor is heavy' The only reason he didn't get a salary was because he loved the people. Somehow, he wanted to reduce the economic burden of the people.
Why did you come up with this idea? Not getting paid is not easy. You can do it once or twice with a big heart, but it is not easy to not receive it for 12 years.
Nehemiah was clearly aware of why he had come as governor of Judah. The reason he came as governor of Judah was not to command and reign over the people, but rather because he was deeply aware in his heart that God had sent him to build a wall to keep the people safe. there was. It was because he accepted this work as his calling.
The general practice of governors at that time was to receive a fixed salary in each province. The governor's salary was paid out of taxes collected in the province where the governor worked. As a result, in order to receive more money, the governors and officials extorted and, in some cases, pressured by force. These were the customs at the time. But Nehemiah rejected this traditional practice.
Perhaps when Nehemiah declined his salary, the secretaries close to him said something like this
'We've done it so far, so there won't be any problems even if we follow the custom'
Of course, we also need to keep and develop good practices and traditions. However, bad traditions and customs must be boldly eliminated.
Here, why was Nehemiah able to reject the wrong practices of the past?
Because he feared God. What do most people do when their status rises? The higher the position, the more often we forget God. Some people are far from God because their high places seem bigger than God. If we, too, turn away from God and neglect God because of our position, or if we turn away from God because of a successful business or a big hit, it is not a success. Rather, it is a curse.
Even if you are poor, you can see God with clean eyes, and if you can rely on the Lord with a poor heart, even if you have low status or little money, that is a blessing and a life of victory.
But even though we know this, we don't really want to live like this.
Why? It is because we ourselves have already changed secularly.
In an article from a long time ago, a middle-class man in a temple was caught eating meat and was published in a newspaper. Why did middle class eat meat? Because it loses the taste of meat. So are we. Because we too know the taste of the world and money faster than we know the taste of grace, we cannot easily capture our hearts.
To fear God means to be conscious of God's gaze on me. It is God who is in charge of my life, not me.
What does our reality look like today?
Modern people fear money more than fear God. When this happens, we lose the identity of the saints. They do not play the role of salt and light properly.
Verse 19 is Nehemiah's prayer. It is clear from this prayer that Nehemiah did not demand anything in return from the people or from the people. I didn't even expect Instead, he is asking God to remember him. The same is true. I shouldn't expect anything in return for that person for whatever I've done in my life. I don't even think about what I didn't do, and when I think about what I've given, there's nothing wrong with being upset.
However, if I lose a little and make sacrifices, God sees in secret and will surely repay you. It's a much better way for me to lose a little and get God's help.
If I love others, God loves me. If I give to others, God also gives to me. When I exalt others, God exalts me.
This is the truth of the Bible.
That is, if people don't treat me as much as I did, don't worry and don't get upset. Don't try to be rewarded by the world, but get God's reward.
I hope we will be like Nehemiah.