Where do you want to live?

Meditation from Nehemiah Chapter 11

This question may seem strange. At the end of this devotion you may want to answer it for yourself.

Jerusalem has been in ruins and uninhabited. People are invited to come and dwell there. To begin with three groups of people began to live.

One, the leaders lived in Jerusalem showing an example. (11:1)

Two, lots were taken and those on whom the lot fell they began to live. (11:1)

Three, some willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. (11:2).

And the people blessed all those who willingly offered to live there. Why?

1. Leave - Israelites lived together among their tribes and communities and to live in Jerusalem means to leave their friends and families. To leave their own and familiar lands.

2. Problems - Jerusalem has been in ruins and is not a place of comfort. It has it's measure of problems.

So to live in Jerusalem means to leave the comfort behind and to be willing to live with discomfort and difficulties.

3. Attacks - Jerusalem was prone to attacks by the enemy. So it means to always live alert and cautious.

Maybe many would not want to live in such a place; to leave one's friends & families & familiar places, to endure discomfort & difficulties and to be prone to spiritual attacks & to always be on the guard.

If Jesus would have thought likewise we would not have the privilege of being called the children of God. He chose to leave His glory and to come down to this world, to live among us, to be mistreated & to endure suffering of the highest degree, to give His life, so that we may be lifted up from the miry clay of sin and be saved & seated with Him in heavenly places!

When we look at the price that Christ paid for our sins, for our salvation, our sacrifices are no sacrifices, but only a privilege.

"I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light" - John Keith Falconer

If ten men are carrying a log - nine of them on the little end and one at the heavy end - and you want to help, which end will you lift on?" - William Borden

Though there might be challenges, he or she who answers this call is blessed, like the people blessed those who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.

Many will testify on that DAY and will call you blessed for leaving your places, families and comforts and for demonstrating Christ to them!

C. T. Studd said, "Some want to live within the sound of the church or Chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell."

Where do you want to be? 

Where do you want to live?

Have a blessed day!