The scripture for today, September 5 (9/5), is Nehemiah 9:5a as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:
“And the Levites ~ Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherabiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah ~ said ‘Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.’ “
Here are eight men who probably none of us have ever heard of. We know nothing about them before this event and nothing about them after this event. But they are forever memorialized in the Bible because, on this one day, within this one hour, in this one moment in time they “stood on the steps of the temple…and called with a loud voice” (Nehemiah 9:4) for the people to “stand up and praise the Lord”.
Can we do that? Can we stand and shout to people around us, “Stand up and praise the Lord your God”? Yes, we can. We can write letters to the editor, we can encourage other students of the Bible, we can start Bible studies in our home or even the internet for adults or children, we can take scripture tray favors to a hospital or nursing home.
In what way can you tell people around you about their Creator and everlasting God? Today, in some way only you can do, stand up and praise the Lord.
“I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands….’ “
“The Lord said to him, ‘I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.’ “
“Though one wishes to dispute with Him [God], he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.”
“I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.”
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teachings, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, then the truth will set you free.’ “
“Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ Philip asked.”
” ‘What do you want with us, Son of God?’ they shouted. ‘Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?’ “
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
“Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way, he asked them, ‘Who do people say I am?’ “