God Will Bring The ‘Exiles’ Home
BRD REFLECTIONS:
Nehemiah 7:4-73 and Psalm 116 (NIV)
(Audrey Ng, Chairperson of Children’s Ministry)
READ:
Nehemiah 7:4-73 (NIV)
The List of the Exiles Who Returned
“Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. 5 So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return.” (Nehemiah 7: 4, 5)
“Some of the heads of the families contributed to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests. Some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver and 67 garments for priests.” (Nehemiah 7: 70-72)
OBSERVE:
When Nehemiah looked for the people of God to return to the land, he looked for the descendants of the Israelite families who responded to the call to return.
All of the returning exiles willingly and generously gave their manpower and riches (tonnes of gold and precious materials) to rebuild the city. God blessed his people even though they were in exile, and the exiles were taught and knew they had to give back to God to rebuild their community when they returned.
APPLY:
This reflection prompts me to teach my biological and church family’s children:
- to remember the faith family that they were born into;
- that even though they are ‘exiled’ as they go through seasons of life with busy competition schedules, studying overseas, going to the army, they have a home church family to; return to and that God will bless them while they are away;
- that God will call the exiles back one day;
- that when they return, they will bless the church.
DO:
I will pray for God to hold on to our children who are descendants of Wesley Methodist Church and who may be away for a season of their lives. I pray that He will call them to return one day and when they hear the call to come back, that they will indeed return. Let me also be ever ready to invite these children, youths or young adults back.
PRAY:
Dear faithful Father God, I pray You will give hope to my brothers and sisters whose children have left the church, that You are holding on to the next generation. I pray that these children will heed the call to return one day to build up their community of faith.
In Jesus’ mighty name we pray, Amen.
