He was confident that he was doing the right thing and would let nothing get in the way of accomplishing his goal. They were persistent in their attempts, but Nehemiah was consistent in his responses.
I Gave Them The Same Reply
Everything That Breathes
The book ends ends on a joyous note with the simple psalm listed above. It reminds us that we should always be engaged in worship. It is why we were created, and no one is exempt from the command. When you read through the book, the writers of the various Psalms demonstrate how it is possible to praise the Lord regardless of your circumstances, so we really have no excuse!
Pretending To Be Sincere
Sometimes we are just get tired, distracted or feel that the message doesn’t really apply to us. All of these things can prevent us from hearing what God is trying to say to us as individuals and as a community of believers.
Standards
Ultimately, we are all held to some kind of standard in life, from grading scales in school, to performance evaluations at work, and social comparisons (e.g. keeping up with the Joneses). The question is what standard will you hold yourself to and what is important to you?
Joyful Giver
We often hear the phrase “joyful giver” used to describe what our attitude should be towards God when we present our tithe and offerings to Him. When we take this approach, we are simply following in the steps of our Father who delights in blessing His children.