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Evg. SAJU JOHN MATHEW the same thing! Untold multitudes call Humanly speaking, the disas-
upon Jesus just for material benefits. ter that happened to the community
MReading Nehemiah 1:1-11 Conversely, many may have accepted did not affect Nehemiah individual-
any people describe this Jesus for a ‘spiritual’ reason, ie., for en- ly. Nehemiah was in a comfortable
new generation as positive, tering into heaven after death. How- place, more than a thousand miles
enthusiastic and awesome! ever, even this is done for a selfish rea- away from Jerusalem. He was in the
It is true that this generation excel in son. They accepted Jesus not because citadel of Susa, in the royal court of
science, technology and information. of their pure devotion to Jesus, but the Persian King Artraxerxes, as his
However, isn’t it also true that this because they wanted to be well in this official cup bearer (v.11). Cupbearers
generation has dwindled and shrunk world and the world to come! Many were not people who just fill the wine
in the areas of concern, compassion of them are not concerned about the cup when empty, but they were like
and self-sacrifice? Everybody build community they are part of and the friends to the kings who gave secret
their own world and the only concern world they live in... Theirs is an “in- advises at times of confusions in the
they have is the benefit they get out of dividual spirituality,” which is more royal court. The Persian kings used to
every act! ‘I’, ‘ME’, and ‘MINE’ are the of the Eastern religions and not of the call them “Zaki” and history records
‘trinity’ of this generation! Bible and Christianity... that they influenced kings more than
the chieftains of the army.
Even in religion, we see this self- According to Biblical spirituality,
ishness. Many people pray, meditate, God has called us and redeemed us Also, remember, Nehemiah was
practice various religious rituals and individually but placed us in the com- from a noble family in Jerusalem.
follow the traditions of their religion munity of the redeemed, which is the When the Babylonian king Nebu-
expecting God to bless them materi- church! Everyone in this community chadnezzar besieged Jerusalem, the
ally for their steadfast practices! Even is our brethren. We have responsibili- king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief
in the so called ‘spiritual’ world we see ties. There is no place for selfish spirit- eunuch, to bring some of the people of
uality in this community. God has put Israel, both of the royal family and of
us in this world and, we have respon- the nobility, youths without blemish,
sibilities to the world too. of good appearance and skilful in all
wisdom, endowed with knowledge,
In our reading today, we see Ne- understanding learning, and compe-
hemiah, who was never selfish, but tent to stand in the king’s palace, and
always considered himself a part of to teach them the literature and lan-
the community of the people of God, guage of the Chaldeans. (Dan 1:3,4)
abiding with them at the time of their Nehemiah was one among them!
disaster. The temple in Jerusalem was
destroyed by the enemies and the city Artaxerxes, the Persian king was
of Jerusalem was in ruins. a “world ruler” at the time. Persian
Selfless Spirituality
IPC
carmel 40
ABU DHABI
