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Wednesday May 18, 2016

 

Why is it always easier to begin something than it is to finish? It is easier to start reading a book than it is to finish. It is easier to start a project than it is to finish it. Starting a diet is easier than staying on the diet. This is due perhaps, to the fact that what gave us our initial motivation to start something, does not necessarily have enough force to carry us all the way through. For example: It is possible for you to become motivated by a TV advertisement, a motivational speaker, or by what you see in the mirror. However, what initially motivated you to start something may not possess the muscle power to carry you all the way through to completion.

 

The same is true concerning our spiritual life. It is easier to commit to God than it is to follow through on that commitment. It is possible that after hearing a great sermon, you become inspired and so you make a commitment to God. You make a commitment to read your Bible everyday and to pray every day. You commit to volunteering in your church and you promise to share the gospel outside of the church. You are motivated! You felt a calling from God on your life and you made that commitment only to later discover that it is far easier to begin something than it is to see it to completion.

 

Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem were committed to God’s calling for their lives. They were dedicated to rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and to rebuilding their lives. After many sacrifices, many risks, and after witnessing the power of God working on their behalf, they were finally able to finish the walls. Once the walls were finished it became time to rebuild their lives. After witnessing the power of God manifested as they worked on rebuilding the walls, they were committed to doing the same with their lives.

 

After realizing that the reason they fell into disgrace was because they ignored God’s law, Nehemiah and the people were committed to not allow that to ever happen again. This time they were committed for sure; such was their commitment that they decided to put in writing that they would no longer ignore God’s laws. They promised to not marry foreigners, they promised to keep the Sabbath, and they promised to take care of the Lord’s temple.

 

Shortly after making this commitment, Nehemiah returned to Persia as promised. After an unknown period, perhaps a few years, Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem and what he found was unbelievable. Those who had participated in the rebuilding of the walls and who had dedicated their lives to God were once again practicing the same behaviors that caused their downfall in the first place. The people were marrying foreigners, they had completely neglected God’s temple and they no longer were honoring the Sabbath. Nehemiah was upset as you can imagine.

 

 

Nehemiah 13:25 NIV

 I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God’s name and said: “You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves.

 

Reading the previous verse, you might conclude that Nehemiah went a bit too far. After all, he was cursing, beating, and pulling people’s hair. Honestly, was this necessary? Herein lies the problem; Nehemiah clearly understood what the consequences of their disobedience would be and he knew far too well, where this disobedience would lead them. Nehemiah was not about to allow the people to once again, fall into disgrace.

 

I have concluded that our commitment and our promises are not enough to carry us all the way to the end. My conclusion is that we need to voluntarily place ourselves under the authority of men and women of moral integrity and authority. We must allow these persons to put us in our place when needed and to remind us of the consequences of our bad behaviors and choices.