Ezra Reads the Law
Schnorr von Carolsfeld, Julius, 1794-1872. Ezra Reads the Law, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=58619 [retrieved January 20, 2022]. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Esdras_preaches_the_law._Julius_Schnorr.jpg.
Spiritual Practices: Breath Prayer
Overview
The book of Nehemiah tells the story of the restoration of the city of Jerusalem. A big part of that story is the rebuilding of the wall around the city in the first part of the book. Just as significant, however, is the spiritual restoration of the people. That is what we read about in chapter 8. After the wall had been rebuilt, all of the people came together and Ezra read the Law of God to them. As he read, some of the Levites circulated through the crowd helping people understand what was being read. As they began to understand what the Word of God said, and how far they had strayed from it, the people began to weep. But Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites encouraged them not to weep, but instead to rejoice. This day was a day of restoration, it was a holy day, and it was a day for joy.
Sometimes we view our relationship with God as something that should be serious and somber. We think about how we have failed in our relationship with God and with people and we are broken hearted. When we come to God for forgiveness we focus more on our failures than on his grace. The truth is that our relationship with God should be filled with joy, not with grief or sadness. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites associated holiness with joy, not with being somber. They told the people that the joy of the Lord would be their strength. I wonder if sometimes the reason we don’t feel strong in our faith is because we don’t embrace it with enough joy. This breath prayer is about embracing joy in our relationship with God.
Prayer
Abba Father, today I rejoice in you!
Overview
The book of Nehemiah tells the story of the restoration of the city of Jerusalem. A big part of that story is the rebuilding of the wall around the city in the first part of the book. Just as significant, however, is the spiritual restoration of the people. That is what we read about in chapter 8. After the wall had been rebuilt, all of the people came together and Ezra read the Law of God to them. As he read, some of the Levites circulated through the crowd helping people understand what was being read. As they began to understand what the Word of God said, and how far they had strayed from it, the people began to weep. But Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites encouraged them not to weep, but instead to rejoice. This day was a day of restoration, it was a holy day, and it was a day for joy.
Sometimes we view our relationship with God as something that should be serious and somber. We think about how we have failed in our relationship with God and with people and we are broken hearted. When we come to God for forgiveness we focus more on our failures than on his grace. The truth is that our relationship with God should be filled with joy, not with grief or sadness. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites associated holiness with joy, not with being somber. They told the people that the joy of the Lord would be their strength. I wonder if sometimes the reason we don’t feel strong in our faith is because we don’t embrace it with enough joy. This breath prayer is about embracing joy in our relationship with God.
Prayer
Abba Father, today I rejoice in you!