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REFLECTION
“The people and God’s promise” is the theme for our reflection. The phrase “a people” means the members of a particular nation, community, or ethnic group. God’s promise refers to the redemptive obligation God has imposed upon Himself to do in the lives of those He has a covenant relationship with. This obligation is to redeem sinful humanity from sin and to make humanity have a dignified, peaceful and everlasting life through a covenant relationship with Him. “The people and God’s promise” means the nation’s acknowledgement and response to God’s divine obligation through His covenant relationship with them. We shall reflect on the fact that when we come to God as repentant and humble people, His promise of salvation shall remain fulfilled in our lives.

Beloved in the Lord, the Israelites after rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem came to a realisation that their relationship with God needed to be rebuilt hence they came to God in humility and repentance so that His covenant promise since the time of Abraham shall remain fulfilled in their lives as a nation. It is for this reason that “On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads. ² Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. (Nehemiah 9:1-2) In other words, the nation in one accord demonstrated to God their readiness to experience His glory or the fulfilment of his promise in their lives. Dear friend in the Lord, It is not enough to feel physically secured as people but true peace and security comes from God through His covenant promise, divine protection and providence.

Again, it important to know that God manifests His promise through His love and faithfulness to us even when we are unfaithful and disobedient to Him. The people of Israel acknowledged this fact when they said “In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous; you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly. (Nehemiah 9:33). Beloved in the Lord God has been consistent in His desire to have His promise of salvation fulfilled in our lives when He assured us through the prophet Ezekiel, “‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’ (Ezekiel 33:11). Again, the Lord says “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ¹⁵ Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. ¹⁶ I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.” (2 Chronicles 7:14-16). The ultimately or final and everlasting fulfilment of God’s promise of love and redemption in the lives of sinful humanity is revealed to us when Jesus assured us, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:14-17) Dear friend, God is faithful to us even in our unfaithfulness, let us draw near to Him in repentance and humility during the Lent season and beyond while we still have the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ available to us now. The next second, minute, hour, day, week, month and year is never promised, if there is a better time to seek the Lord and repent, then it is now! If there is a better time to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour and commit our entire lives to Him, then it is now!

Dear friend in Christ, genuine repentance and regeneration take place in our lives when we make His Word the centre of our lives and live a life of worship. We observe that the people of Israel after their outward demonstration of their repentance and humility before God, “They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the LORD their God.” (Nehemiah 9:3). The people took their relationship with God serious and were indeed committed the path of national revival and transformation. They came to a realisation that the walls of their spiritual lives needed to be rebuilt for them to fully experience God’s promise in their individual and national lives. Dear friend in Christ, we shall forever experience the glory and promise of God in our lives when we consistently study His Word and live a life of confession and worship. This is God’s purpose for creating humanity and establishing a covenant relationship with us. It is for this reason that Jesus said, “God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24). It is not enough to outwardly or habitually demonstrate repentance and regeneration, but we must always yearn to grow in faith and consistently walk with God through the obedience of His word. His everlasting promise is for those who are faithful and obedient to Him.

In conclusion, we have reflected on the theme “The people and God’s promise” We have learnt that when we come to God as repentant and humble people, His promise of salvation shall ramian fulfilled in our lives.

PRAYER
Almighty God, we come to You as repentant and humble people who are willing to do Your will and obey Your Word. May Your promise of salvation be fulfilled in our live through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.