Christian Devotional – February 5, 2020

Day 36 – No proof. Some of the people wanted to be considered servants, but they were unable to show proof. Read Nehemiah 7:61-73.

These were they who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses or their descendants, whether they were of Israel: the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642. Of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai, the Gileadite, and was named after them. These searched among their ancestral registration, but it could not be located; therefore they were considered unclean and excluded from the priesthood. The governor said to them that they should not eat from the most holy things until a priest arose with Urim and Thummim. The whole assembly together was 42,360, besides their male and their female servants, of whom there were 7,337; and they had 245 male and female singers. Their horses were 736; their mules, 245; their camels, 435; their donkeys, 6,720. Some from among the heads of fathers’ households gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 gold drachmas, 50 basins, 530 priests’ garments. Some of the heads of fathers’ households gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,200 silver minas. That which the rest of the people gave was 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,000 silver minas and 67 priests’ garments. Now the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants and all Israel, lived in their cities. And when the seventh month came, the sons of Israel were in their cities.
Nehemiah 7:61‭-‬73 NASB
https://bible.com/bible/100/neh.7.61-73.NASB

There were some of the people who wanted to be servants. In fact, they remembered being able to trace their lineage back to where they were related to previous servants. However, they were unable to prove it. They could not show the records. There was no documentation of their family line. Therefore, they were unable to be considered part of the servants. There was no proof.

We may feel that we do a great job of following God. That we are right in line with Him. However, if there’s no proof, can we really say that we are followers of God? If there’s no proof, if there’s no evidence, if there’s nothing that anyone else can look at in our life to show what we believe in and what we stand for and that we are servants of God, then can we truly say that we are?

What proof is in our life? What can others see in us that points to Christ?