More of what matters to God, part II

In this study, we have looked at how to make our lives count for God. We've searched to find what is important to God; we've looked at what matters. So far, we have seen that we need to commit ourselves to the things important to Him: worship, godly character, and people (individuals and families).
In verses four through seventy-three of chapter seven, we find more that matters to God - our place in the family of God, and our commitment to His purpose. Nehemiah said that . . .

Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. 5 So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there: (verses 4-5)

Nehemiah found the book of the record of those who first came to Jerusalem. It served as a foundation for the current enrollment. He needed to make sure that each person knew their inheritance and their calling.
As believers, our physical lineage, though, is not as important as our spiritual lineage. We need to know that we have been born spiritually into God's family through faith in Jesus Christ. And, of course, there needs to be some evidence of it. In chapter seven, those who claimed to be in the priestly families needed to be able to trace their family tree and prove their claims. Those who couldn't find any record of their ancestry were excluded from priestly tasks and responsibilities until a priest could verify it by divine means (verses 61 through 65).  Today, believers should be able to verify where God promises eternal life to those who believe in Jesus Christ - that's why the Romans Road is so popular, since it is a simple and easy way to remember and re-read the verses that promise salvation to sinners. A new believer can point to God's promise and affirm that they trust in God.
Christians today should also show evidence that they are in the family of God, that God has changed their hearts. Before, we were hostile toward God. Our behaviors were sinful. Now, by His grace, we love God and the things of God; our behaviors are changed.

You know what else is important? We need to focus on the fact that God placed us here, at this point exactly, in the history of His people. He put us here to fulfill the role that He ordained for us. Those who came before us have passed the torch on to us. It's up to us to carry it faithfully and then pass it on to the next generation. Many believers today are ignorant of church history; they have no clue how God has worked through so many who have been faithful to Him. It's fascinating to read biographies and histories to gain perspective and to be inspired by those who have come before us.

We mentioned up there that commitment to God's purpose matters, too.  This long list of people's families. . . so many names . . . each of these returned from Babylon to Jerusalem and Judah. Each to his own city. They could easily have stayed in Babylon. They'd been there for several generations and were established and comfortable! It wasn't easy to pick up everything and move across hundreds of miles of hostile territory to a land that had been devastated by war. To piles of rubble instead of walls. To make-shift shelters, instead of houses.
But they knew God's promise to their ancestor, Abraham, to give him this land. God had also promised that Jerusalem would be where the temple was, to be a glory to the nations. They understood all of this. They committed themselves to God's purpose, no matter the hassles and hardships involved.
Do we understand God's purpose for our lives? Are we committed to that purpose? His purpose is to be glorified among the nations . . . by calling to Himself a people who are redeemed by His only Son, just like we read in I Peter last year:

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (I Peter 2:9)

We have been saved by the mercy and grace of Christ, by His sacrifice as a sinless Lamb for our sins. He has given us eternal life. But not only that -- He has also given us spiritual gifts, material resources, and daily opportunities to glorify Him and further His kingdom! To make our lives count for God, we need to commit ourselves to His purpose for our lives. There's no better way to make our lives count for Him.

Remember recently when we discussed how God knows us all, individually? In fact, it is He Who knows us best of anyone! It is He Who knows what makes each of us unique . . . I think we should remember as we commit to having our lives count for Him, that we are all different. It's great to learn from all of the godly examples in the Word, and from examples in church history, and from those who are mature, discerning Christians in our world today. But it's also important to accept ourselves for who we are. God made us. He loves us. He accepts us as we are. We need to be careful not to kick ourselves because we are not "like" someone else.
Each of us IS unique, and God has given each one of us a different role to fulfill. In our chapter this week, some were gatekeepers, some singers, some priests, and some servants. ALL of those roles are important to God. We each need to discover who we are in Christ and commit ourselves to be all that God wants us to be. Of course, this is something that we could study for a couple of weeks, but to make a long story short, it is a matter that prayer, Bible study, and the counsel of Christian friends can assist us with.
We will surely be on the right track if we commit ourselves to the things that are important to God. We can be sure that our lives will count for Him!