Neglect the Temple

Today’s Encouragement is Nehemiah 10:39b NLT “We promise together not to neglect the Temple of our God.”

Neglect the Temple-

In this passage the people agreed together, made a covenant with God, to not neglect the Temple. This was their repentance, realizing how badly they had neglected to care for and to respect God’s Temple in the past, they turned from their rebellion and neglectful laziness toward God, His Temple, and His ways.

The focal point of God’s worship in the OT was the temple.  It was regarded as Holy and kept pure, as God had prescribed in great detail.  And today, that Temple is you and me!  2 Corinthians 6:16b NLT “…For we are the temple of the living God…”

So, my friend, is it possible that we too need to consider how we are respecting, caring for, and honoring His temple today?  This is not speaking of the church building, although we do need to respect and care for it, but of the church as a body of believers, the “we” in Corinthians 6:16, and also our own physical body. 

The neglect referenced in Nehemiah was that the temple was in ruins, ignored, considered unimportant, and merely a relic of the old days. This neglect is what the people of God repented from and promised together to begin again to honor and care for the Temple. 

Today could we consider committing together to honor both- our church family, and our own body, by not neglecting either? 

Father help us to do so this day.

Old church choir

Zach Williams