SOAP Daily Devotional: Working together for Him

When I’m not reading through the Bible in 90 Days, I use this reading plan to keep me in the Word daily.

If you aren’t already following a daily plan, or you are between plans, I hope you’ll consider joining me. Just jump in on today’s date.

Today’s reading: Nehemiah 11-12, Psalms 1, Acts 3

Here’s what I heard today using SOAP:

Scripture: Nehemiah 11: 4-35

selected verse: Nehemiah 11:4

while other people from both Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem):

From the descendants of Judah:

Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez;

Observation:

Each of these people took the plunge and lived in Jerusalem, working together for God’s glory.

Application:

Typically I select just one or two verses, but this time it is the whole section that spoke to me, or the concept of that section.

So often throughout the Bible we come across long lists of names. I have often wondered why all of those names are there, because I know He has a reason for every aspect of scripture.

I wonder of God is trying to show us in these lists that there are many people who work together for the Lord, that He uses a big group, not just one or two, to serve His purposes. I can’t help but be reminded of Christ sharing that we each have different gifts just as a body has many parts. Perhaps these lists are other illustrations of that.

I think He wants us to work together and recognize that as teams we can accomplish so much more than as individuals.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for giving each of us gifts that we can combine with others to serve you. Please guide me, my readers and all of your followers, in finding our gifts and using them to the fullest extent in honoring You. Thank you for enabling us to work together. Please help us when the collaborative road gets bumpy. Keep away the conflict that can separate us and instead help us to focus on our common goal in serving you.

Thank you for the honor and privilege of being used by you, and the gifts you have given me and will grow in me for the purpose of glorifying you.