Properly placed worship results in dedication to the glory of God through a joyful pursuit of self-denial.

God has been and will always be committed to carrying out His purposes, which He accomplishes through the faithful followers who rise up from each generation.

Recognition is not required once God issues a new identity to His people and calls them to live for His namesake.

God calls His people to hold one another accountable in their pursuit of a distinctly God-honoring life, so as not to conform to the wicked ways of surrounding cultures.

When sorrow for sin meets the mercy of God, sinners are freed and thrust into God-honoring obedience.

The Words of God must matter to His people, and when they do, faithful obedience abounds while genuine joy is found.

God's Word forms God's People.

As Nehemiah contemplates the nation and the people God puts on his heart to conduct a census of who is part of the nation at this time. He finds the record of the census from Ezra’s journey to Jerusalem and uses it. His heart is stirred with the future security of the nation and he hears from God about a strategy to address that concern. To us it seems just a list of names, but each of these are God’s people, special to him and significant to the future growth of the nation.

“Mission Accomplished” can be a premature statement in light of the ongoing and greater problems faced by the nation of Israel under Nehemiah’s leadership. The walls are completed, but the task of national security and prosperity are far from over. Nehemiah isn’t fooled with a false hope in completing the walls, he addresses additional concerns and needs for the nation in our Scripture today.

The enemies of God will do anything to stop the work of God. We must prayerfully trust God and be faithful in the work He’s called us to, leaving the results to Him.