Have you heard the saying, "When the mice are away, the cats will play"?
Something like that happened to the Jewish people when Nehemiah went back to Babylon to give a report to King Artaxerxes. After a year's absence, he returned to find havoc and broken promises. The Jewish men had intermarried with Ashdod women and their children were speaking foreign languages. The high priest, Eliashib allowed his relative Tobiah to use a room in the temple. Jewish and Gentile merchants were profaning the sabbath by selling their merchandise on the holy day. It took drastic action by Nehemiah to withhold God's judgment on the populace.
How quickly the fires of our devotion die out when we neglect the reading of God's word and prayer! How many has the Lord heard us say, "Tomorrow, Lord I'll start a reading program only to put it off." I'll have to confess that I'm just as guilty as the next guy.
Prayer of Commitment: Lord, place within me a deep hunger for your word. I need your spiritual food to remain a healthy Christian.
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