“They refused to obey, and they were not mindful of Your wonders that You did among them. But they hardened their necks, and in their rebellion, they appointed a leader to return to their bondage. But You are God, ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness, and did not forsake them.”
Nehemiah 9:17

The history of the nation of Israel in relation to their God has been much like a roller coaster. One moment they are pleading with the Lord to deliver them, and as soon as He answers their prayers, they begin to disobey Him. We see this pattern clearly throughout Exodus, Numbers, and Judges in particular. Because of their continual disobedience, the Lord allowed them to be taken away into captivity for seventy years. Toward the end of those seventy years, the Lord brought a remnant back into the land to rebuild. We see this rebuilding in the books of Nehemiah and Ezra.

In Nehemiah 9, we read a wonderful prayer of Nehemiah—one of twelve prayers recorded in the book. This reminds us that the way of recovery is through repentance. In this chapter, Nehemiah recounts the history of Israel, and in today’s verse, he specifically has in mind what we find in Numbers 14. While we see Israel’s failure to trust and obey, we also learn something about our God! He is ready to pardon. He is gracious and merciful. He is slow to anger and abundant in kindness toward His people. His very nature does not allow Him to forsake His own!

Even when they failed to follow after their God, He remained faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. This is what Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:13. Today’s verse reminds us of the very nature and character of our God. It also assures us that failure is never final. We must never forget who our God is—He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is the Lord, and He does not change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8).

Maybe you are at a place of failure. Perhaps you have drifted away from the Lord. Remember today’s “But God.” It speaks to us of His faithfulness. Remember, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Anchor For Today
In wonder lost, with trembling joy,
We hail the pardon of our God,
Pardon for crimes of deepest dye,
A pardon traced in Jesus’ blood.
To pardon thus is Thine alone;
Mercy and grace are both Thine own.

~ Samuel Davies