Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. Then those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors. They stood up in their place and read from the book of the law of the LORD their God for a fourth part of the day, and for another fourth they made confession and worshiped the LORD their God. Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani stood on the stairs of the Levites and cried out with a loud voice to the LORD their God. Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.” And Ezra said: “You are the LORD, you alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. To all of them you give life, and the host of heaven worships you. (Nehemiah 9:1-6, NRSV)
They separated themselves from all those different…
This means that until this time they were living in and among those who were not like them.
But they took time to gather with those who believed the same as them and to give thanks to God and to confess all they had done wrong.
When they had heard the words that God has restored them and given them life, even though the text does not say it, they probably went back to the lives they were living in and among those who were different.
That is where we are! Living in the world, but not really a part of it. We are in, not of the world. We are the hands and feet of Jesus and need to gather with our brothers and sisters, but not leave the world behind.
God needs us in the world!
So go and be in, and not of, know that Christ has claimed you and called you His own!
aSacredRebel 