This week, my husband and I borrowed a steam cleaner from his dad and we spent the past few days cleaning our carpets. They get a regular vacuuming, but never a deep cleaning like the one they just received. <\/p>\n

I got to thinking during that last hymn \u2013 take time to be holy \u2013 that if I just changed a word it could have been our theme song this week \u2013 take time to be clean. <\/p>\n

This morning, I woke up and because just yesterday we did all of the upstairs carpets in the main living areas, it was very strange to walk out and see nothing there. Our dining room table was in the middle of the kitchen along with some chairs. Everything else had been stuffed into our spare bedroom \u2013 end tables, chairs, bookshelves, you name it. <\/p>\n

If the carpet is dry \u2013 tonight but probably tomorrow, we will begin the work of putting everything back into place. <\/p>\n

In a much bigger way, that is what is happening in our reading from Nehemiah this morning.
Ezra and Nehemiah came before the people to say that it was time to put their lives back together. <\/p>\n

For the past generations, everything had been in disarray \u2013 like our couch standing on its side by the front door \u2013 because the people had been living in exile in Babylon. They were away from their homes and the countryside that they loved and everything familiar. <\/p>\n

But when Cyrus of the Persians conquered Babylon \u2013 he allowed all of the Jews to return home. And so Ezra the priest, and Nehemiah who became governor led the way. <\/p>\n

They knew that rebuilding and putting every piece of their lives back together was the first priority. As Rev. Timothy Schehr describes it,
Nehemiah\u2019s plan was to reconstruct the walls of the city of Jerusalem. That would give them a sense of security. Ezra\u2019s plan was to rebuild the faith of the people. He understood that a right relationship with God was the only true source for security. \/ Ezra also understood that God\u2019s law was the foundation for any spiritual rebuilding.
So they start this whole project by getting all the people together and reading the scriptures. From early in the morning until noon, God\u2019s law was read aloud to the people. And as they took the time to listen to God\u2019s promises and God\u2019s desires for their lives together \u2013 the people began to weep as they realized how unfaithful they had been. <\/p>\n

But instead of lamenting along with the people \u2013 Ezra and Nehemiah instead urge the people to celebrate. Because this is a day of new beginnings \u2013 this is their chance to let go of the past and to actually put into practice the word of God that they have heard. <\/p>\n

From time to time in our lives \u2013 we need a fresh start and a new beginning. I know that while I wasn\u2019t looking forward to doing the cleaning we did this weekend, it sure feels good to have it done now. <\/p>\n

And our spiritual lives need a bit of scrubbing and spit and polish at times too. A chance to step back and really hear God\u2019s word for our lives with new ears and a fresh new commitment to live it out.<\/p>\n

When we hear the scriptures, we are reminded of who we are supposed to be. In the gospel of Luke this morning \u2013 Jesus enters the synagogue and he too \u2013 reads scripture. As he reads from Isaiah, we find out a little more about who Jesus is and what his church (all of us) will be and do. <\/p>\n

“He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord\u2019s favor.\u201d <\/p>\n

We are called to do all of these things \u2013 because we were meant to be a blessing. We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ in this world bringing hope to the poor and setting the oppressed free and healing those who are sick. <\/p>\n

<\/a>This morning in Sunday School \u2013 we talked about being blessed to be a blessing. And we talked about the fact that a big part of that blessing has to do with money. <\/div>\n

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First of all \u2013 many of us are called to be a blessing to our families. We have people who depend on us and we need to provide for them and bless their lives. This might be our immediate family or our more extended family \u2013 but our family nonetheless. And to do so, takes money. Money for utilities, money for food, money for clothing. <\/div>\n

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But once we have provided for our families and our own needs \u2013 everything else that we have is the Lord\u2019s! Everything else is the opportunity to bless someone. <\/div>\n

I have never had a great relationship with money. As a young woman I had far too easy access to credit and at that time not a care in the world. Today, I still carry with me some of the debt that came along with plane tickets to visit family and friends and eating out and shopping. <\/p>\n

But I don\u2019t think I ever really thought about money as a spiritual issue until I really spent some time in the scriptures. <\/p>\n

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I found out that there are over 800 verses in scripture that talk about money. Over 800!!! Why does God care so much about our money and what we do with it? Because we are blessed to be a blessing. <\/p>\n

I have here with me some of those many passages about money and finances. Here in my hands are just a tenth of all of the scriptures about money in our Bible. And I think, like the people of Israel \u2013 we too might weep with shame and regret if we spent time reading them all out loud to one another. <\/div>\n

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But like that community that was gathered, I want us to look at some of these scriptures and to really think about how they are each opportunities for us to put our lives back together \u2013 how they represent a fresh way of looking at our money that will help us to do God\u2019s will. <\/div>\n

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As we pass these out, spend some time with the people around you reading the passages that you have. And then out of all of the ones you received, come up with just one thing that we should celebrate \u2013 one way that we can be a blessing to others if we put the wisdom of the scriptures into practice. <\/div>\n

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\u2026.do it!…. (We spent about 7 minutes reading our scriptures to one another in small groups and lifting up a piece of wisdom to share with the whole community)<\/div>\n

The word of God, for the people of God\u2026 thanks be to God. <\/p>\n

Photo by David Siqueira<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n