READING:
One-year plan: Nehemiah 7-8, Acts 13:42-14:7
Two-year plan: Joshua 14:1-15:19, Luke 8:22-39
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Ezra brought the book of the Law to the people and began reading it. In fact, he read it for hours. The reactions of the people were numerous. They stood. They listened attentively. They lifted their hands in worship. They praised the Lord. They knelt low. They worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Listening to the Word led to worship, which led to God followers on their faces before their Creator. With all their being, they threw themselves into worshiping the One who communicated to them via His Word.
One writer has shown that the people responded to the Word in three ways: “(1) by lifting their hands in worship and showing a sense of need; (2) by saying, ‘Amen! Amen!’ and thus affirming their submission to the authority of Scripture; and (3) by bowing down to the ground with a sense of humility and submission before God.”* I don’t know about you, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a group of believers respond to the Word with such passion—perhaps because we take for granted our access to the Word. Honestly, it’s been a long time since I’ve responded that way.
May the Lord give us such joy and reverence at hearing His Word that all we can do is bow to our faces . . . with all our being.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: How do you typically respond to the reading of the Word?
DAILY PRAYER: “God, give me that kind of joy and reverence at Your Word.”
TOMORROW’S READINGS:
One-year plan: Nehemiah 9-10, Acts 14:8-15:5
Two-year plan: Joshua 15:20-63, Luke 8:40-56
* Breneman, M. (1993). Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (electronic ed., Vol. 10, p. 225). Broadman & Holman Publishers.