They solemnly promised to carefully follow all the commands, regulations, and decrees of the Lord our Lord.  

~Nehemiah 10:29 NLT

I told a young mom (the mother of three) that I would bring her a meal after her guests left. That was almost a year ago. I told the Lord I would fast on Mondays at the start of a new year. It lasted two weeks. My husband and I have said we should invite the neighbors over for dinner. We’ve lived in the neighborhood for over thirteen years now. Good intentions alone are insufficient.

God’s people in Nehemiah’s time were full of good intentions, too. They swore by an oath to follow God’s Word and carefully obey all the commands.

Nehemiah, one of the leaders of the nation of Israel after the exile, witnessed a sworn commitment from God’s people to follow His commands. The walls around Jerusalem were finished in record time. The Law was read, and a great time of confession swept through the nation. Nehemiah had poured into God’s people for years, then left for Persia. When he returned, he discovered they had broken all the vows they had sworn to keep. Nehemiah confronted each group, somewhat sternly, over their good intentions.

Confrontation stings. I once had a Bible study group leader who confronted me. My husband and I struggled financially early in our marriage. I stayed home to care for our three kids while my husband worked. During this time, our church hosted Spring Fling, a market where a portion of the proceeds supported the church’s missions.

At the market, I spied two dresses for my girls that would have been perfect for Easter Sunday. While standing in line, the group leader came by. I gushed over the dresses. But she commented, “I thought you and your husband were trying to cut expenses. Do you think this is a wise choice?” When she left, I put the dresses back on the rack.

The confrontation stung, but it was exactly what I needed to hear. My good intentions to spend less meant nothing if I didn’t follow through. By the way, my girls and my son wore adorable borrowed clothes that Easter.

When Israel decided to obey, “God gave them great joy” (Nehemiah 12:43), but when they disobeyed, there was compromise, confusion, and confrontation.

Our good intentions mean nothing if we don’t follow through. God will convict us when necessary, or send someone else to do it, as in my case. Even when it’s difficult, hurtful, or seemingly impossible, following God’s ways is always the best.

But here’s the amazing truth: even when we fail at our good intentions, like the Israelites, there is still grace. Time and again, God patiently waited for His people to return to Him. Time and again, God patiently waits for us to turn away from our sin and toward Him. He doesn’t give up on us even when our intentions are good.

Think of a time when someone confronted you about your sins and what you learned from it.

Father, help me not only to intend to obey you, but also actually to do it. Convict me when I fail to follow through, and bless me when I succeed. Amen.

 

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2025: Good Intentions: Sally Cressman: All Rights Reserved.