"Wear Forgiveness Like A Crown"

“And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.” Nehemiah 8:9-12 ESV

The women's ministry in our church, like many other churches, has women's Bible studies throughout the year. Recently, I had the honor of leading a small group discussion on our study through Nehemiah.

Nehemiah 8, to me, is a pivotal chapter in the book. Here the people come together to hear the Law read by Ezra the priest. He read from early morning until midday!! All the people stood to hear the reading of the word. Then as they heard the word, they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord, with their faces to the ground. The scribes and priests circulated through the people to help them understand the words being read to them. The people were under great conviction and wept sorrowfully. This was a great day indeed!

I could not understand for the life of me why they wanted them to stop weeping. I was thinking they need to weep! We need to weep! We are sinners! They/we should mourn over our sin. For goodness sake, let them weep and mourn! But later on in the week, as we continued to study Nehemiah God gave me a real life lesson in the mourning over sin and that there is a time to stop weeping and mourning.

God, the Holy Spirit heavily convicted me of a particular sin and I could not rest easy until I had confessed and asked forgiveness of a particular person and of the Lord, which I did. But then I just could not get out from under the heaviness of my sin. I was despondent for a few days asking for forgiveness again and recounting to God my unworthiness.

I was listening to christian music on the Sunday following, still feeling despondent and horrible about my sin, music and lyrics just being background noise to my numbed spirit. I had dropped off my youngest son at church to prepare for services that morning and then was going to get he and his boss some coffee. “At the Foot of the Cross” written by Don Moen came on, sung by a female that I didn't recognize but the Lord got my attention with these lyrics: “Lay every burden down at the foot of the cross” and “wear forgiveness like a crown”

It talked about Jesus substitutionary death for me, laying every burden down at the foot of the cross and wearing forgiveness like a crown. That really hit me and convicted me. Instead of wallowing in my sorrow and looking at my sin and my self, I should have been rejoicing in the forgiveness and grace I had been given because my Saviour bore the very sin that I had committed so that I might have the joy of the Lord as my strength to carry on and sin no more. Nehemiah 8 made so much more sense to me now!

So often, I do this. I focus on how horribly sinful I am and how despicable I am, and how unworthy I am. These things are all true and I should see them but my gaze and my dwelling thoughts should be on the grace and mercy and forgiveness of my Saviour and Lord. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords should be occupying my thoughts and praise. He is worthy of worship. He is holy and perfect and true. He gave all so that I could wear forgiveness like a crown. It should be something that is seen by all. We should be rejoicing together and fellowshipping for the Lord has joy in the redemption and salvation of His people. He loves to see His people rejoicing in what He has provided.

So yes, let us recognize our sin, confess and realize God's steadfast love and mercy and then rejoice and wear forgiveness like a crown

-that others might see the goodness of our God

- that others might understand the forgiveness and mercy of our good God

-that others might know our good and merciful and forgiving God!!

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight” Ephesians 1:7-8 ESV

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14 ESV