Nehemiah 8
In 1994 we sent a team from Grace on a two week short-term missions trip to Russia. We went to their summer camps with the purpose of teaching Christianity in the wake of the collapse of communism. I will never forget the first day we met with the young people. There were about 40 of them gathered together in a classroom and we were enjoying playing some games with them. There was a lot of noise and excitement in the room. Then we wanted to transition to the spiritual reason we were there so we announced we were going to read the Bible. Immediately all of the young people stopped talking and focused their attention on the scripture reading. Later we gathered together as a team and reflected on that moment. We realized that for 70 years the Bible had been the most dangerous book in Russia. To own a Bible meant you could be sent to prison. Now they were hearing the words of this dangerous book. Two days later Dave Fowler was mobbed by 250 people as he attempted to distribute Russian Bibles. We had to carry the Bibles back into our room and give them out one at a time. I will never forget seeing an old babushka woman receive her copy and hold it close to her chest. She rocked back and forth with tears in her eyes and said repeatedly, "Spasibo, spasibo, spasibo (thank you in Russian)." Now she would be able to read the Words of God for herself.
What the Russians and the Jews of Ezra's day realized is that when we hunger and thirst for the Word of God it brings radical change to our lives and our community.
Nehemiah 8:18 Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.
Reading and studying the Bible is one of the core values at Grace. We challenge every Christ follower to set their alarm earlier to wake up and read God's Word. Bring a notebook and write down what God teaches you each day. When we have this type of hunger for the Word, staying up late or rising early in the morning to spend time in the Word, revival cannot be far away.
If you fell off the wagon this summer with your Bible reading today is a great day to renew your commitment.
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