Today’s reading: Nehemiah 7:5-73
After the completion of the rebuilding of the wall and its gates, God prompts and then guides Nehemiah to continue his efforts of helping Jerusalem. As a result, Nehemiah turns his attention to the ongoing upkeep and care of the city and the need to grow the population of Jerusalem. He does this by the compiling of a census. At first read, taking a census may not seem too important or exciting, but it would have had quite a positive impact.
First, the taking of the census would have required the people to physically come back to Jerusalem, and once there, many people would have been inclined to stay or make a permanent move back. Additionally, as the people arrive and start gathering in the city, it would have created energy and excitement. I can totally imagine the joyful reconnecting of relatives and friends and how this would have served to unify the people and help families reorganize. And finally, the census would have been a powerful reminder to the people of their roots and historical past, and even more importantly, their spiritual history and foundation.
What does this account reveal about the value of community and gathering together? How often do you take time to think about your past–both historical and spiritual? Why is this important and how is it beneficial? Tami
Source: Tami’s Blog
