Together We Win

April 19, 2019

He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gatein the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. Nehemiah 8:3

From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great. Nehemiah 8:17

Going to war changes a person. Talk to any returning soldier with battle experience, and you will see that he or she is noticeably different. If you engage in conversation and ask about their experiences, you will see that their values are different, their perspective is new, and they handle life in a changed manner.

It was true for the people in Nehemiah’s day, too. So much was different about their lives after they fought for their families. The first thing we notice that was different was the way they listened to God’s Word. For years they hadn’t really heard it. Their approach to the Word of God was very casual. They didn’t even think about it. It had been lost to them. But fighting the battle made them realize their weaknesses and their need of what only God could say and do. When Nehemiah read the Book of the Law to them, he read from daybreak till noon! But “ALL the people listened attentively.”

That will happen for us too. When we truly engage in the battle; when we invest ourselves in a fight that matters, we are desperate for a word from God. The way we listen and hear Him will be different.

The second thing we notice is that winning the battle led to great celebration and unprecedented joy. The joy when WWII was over, with victory, has been documented in iconic pictures and stories. When we fight together and see victory in our families and communities, we will open our hearts and lives to a brand-new experience of joy and celebration! Joy will become our trademark, and joy is magnetic and contagious.

We want to be a church that values and invests in the next generation. We need each other. We need to fight for our families and each other’s families as well. Every young person needs at least one other adult speaking into his/her life the same thing their godly and loving parent is saying. You can be that, adult. Together we win.

• Lord Jesus, may we listen with new attentiveness, obey with new diligence, and celebrate with new joy. Amen.