Ezra & Nehemiah: Redeeming, Rebuilding, and Restoring
IVP
What do Ezra & Nehemiah have to do with everyday family discipleship?
In this week’s episode of The Wholehearted Households Podcast, host Alex Blount introduces us to the partner books of Ezra & Nehemiah. He recalls his daughter’s experience of a favorite toy breaking, reflecting on how experiences of brokenness and loss are universal and start at a young age. Yet, Ezra & Nehemiah remind us that God is the One who mends and rebuilds, who can take the broken pieces of our lives and gives us hope.
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Our Bible spotlight focuses on Nehemiah’s leadership to the exiled Israelites. His prayer in Nehemiah 1 models a posture of reverence, repentance, and courage, which is required as he seeks to lead the Israelites back to close relationship with God.
Then, our discipleship nugget equips you and your family to implement an act of rebuilding in your home or neighborhood. Rebuilding is as crucial for us as it was to the ancient Israelites, and it reminds us that in the midst of our brokenness, God is still at work in our stories.
Finally, our spiritual practice invites you to experience God’s restoration through moments of delight. Discipling and rebuilding can be grueling work, and God’s blessings of joy and delight can help sustain us, filling our cup and reminding us of God’s love and companionship.
Wherever you listen, may you and your family be blessed by this episode as you seek to follow Jesus with your whole heart.
The Wholehearted Households Podcast is a production of InterVarsity Press (IVP) and made possible by the generous support of the Lilly Endowment. Discover more great listens from IVP on our website (https://ivpress.com/ivp-podcasts) or on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@InterVarsityPress/podcasts) .
To reach the IVP podcast team, please use this form (https://forms.office.com/r/wULCgRQJf3) .
Resources from the episode
This week’s Bible spotlight is adapted from the LifeGuide Bible Study Nehemiah: The Courage to Face Opposition
