God's sacrificial love for us compels sacrificial love from us. In order for God's mission of being known to go forward, sacrifice is required. We see this blueprint in the incarnation of Jesus, where God is known through an all-in, self-dedicating, high-costing, comfort-forsaking, others-embodying kind of love. This love that we are recipients of then calls us to be instruments of love for others.

Genesis 1:1, 2:7 || For our Family Worship Sunday we explored how God creates out of nothing, shapes it into something, and then breathes life into it.

Ephesians 5:18-20 || Singing is one of the ways in which God, in his love and mercy, gives us more of himself.

Nehemiah 13 || Nehemiah ends with major disappointment, reminding us that restoration is actually an ongoing process.

Nehemiah 11-12 || Restored people celebrate! When the joy of being rescued erupts in our souls, we can't help but party and sing about the goodness of God.

Nehemiah 9:38-10:39 || Understanding God's Word leads to a commitment to change.

Nehemiah 9:1-37 || Understanding God's Word leads to confession - both of our sin and of God's goodness. We rightly see who we are in the light of seeing who God is.

Nehemiah 8:1-18 || Understanding the Word of God leads to Joy.

Nehemiah 6:1-7:4 || Despite opposition that tries to distract, discredit, and disgrace us, God will triumphantly finish the restoring work that He began.

Nehemiah 5:1-19 || When our personal agendas drive us we end up oppressing others and endangering the work of the gospel. Thankfully, God steps in to eradicate injustice, defending the oppressed by lovingly confronting selfish hearts until they come into alignment with His glory.