Nehemiah 8: 1-3
“All the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.
So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand.
He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.”
Today marks the beginning of an extraordinary week-long event, “America Reads the Bible,” aimed at inspiring millions of folks across our country to commit to reading the Bible over the next seven days, April 19-26. It is one part of numerous special events taking place this year as we celebrate the 250th Anniversary of America. More than 400 Christian leaders, elected officials, and entertainers will contribute their time to read the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation in seven days, at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC.
Bunni Pounds, who is the founder and president of Christians Engaged and the visionary behind America Reads the Bible, says this, “We believe the Word of God, simply read and listened to, can transform hearts, families, communities, and nations. We’re inviting Americans to listen or read aloud together in a powerful act of unity and faith for our 250th Birthday of America. This is a national call to ignite revival, inspire discipleship, and unite believers through the power of Scripture. United we stand at this historic crossroads to inspire our nation to remember our Christian roots, to walk deeply in faith, and to elevate the Word of God in every area of American life into the next 250 years of our national story.”
We, as the body of Christ, can also take great inspiration from today’s scripture in Nehemiah, which recounts how Ezra read God’s Word aloud to the people of Israel, leading to a period of awakening, revival, and repentance. The people were so inspired, they set about to rebuild the temple, working with Nehemiah to mobilize the people to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls. Now, in our present age, we must step up to answer the call to bring our nation back to its spiritual foundations. May God cause a great revival and awakening in the hearts of our citizens and inspire folks throughout our land to read the Word and share its truths for the next 250 years and beyond.
Dear Heavenly Father, how thankful we are for Your Word, which continues to inspire us with its promises and truths for righteous living and salvation in Christ. Your Word never changes, never wavers, no matter how our society and culture shift. From Genesis to Revelation, it is our solid, trustworthy foundation. The same Word of God that inspired our Founding Fathers is the same Word that inspires us as we read it these 250 years later. Lord God, we thank and praise You for being the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We pray for a new Great Awakening in America for the lost who need Jesus, and for the burning fire of Revival to ignite the church. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
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