In the pivotal eighth chapter of Nehemiah, we come to realize that the rebuilding of the bricks and mortar of the wall was not the only renovation project God intended for the people. In fact, it was not the most important one. God was more interested in a rebuilding of the hearts of the people, and a renewed commitment to faithfulness and integrity. The reformer Ezra stood at the WaterGate and began to read to the people the law of Moses, the sacred scripture of their ancestors, and called them to repentance. 

We cannot have a resilient faith without a diligent and daily reading of the scriptures. Nor is it good enough to just read the scriptures for our own comfort. We also need to open ourselves up to the potential of the scriptures to convict us, to correct us, and to reorient us toward God’s purposes.