Tag Archives: Indwelling

Kingdom & Empire

October 23, 2025 Tom Vander Well Leave a comment

“Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews.”
Nehemiah 5:1 (NIV)

One of the overarching themes of the Great Story is God trying to establish His Kingdom on earth amidst humanity’s endless and insatiable desire for empire.

As Nehemiah and the Hebrews in Judah attempt to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem it is the Persian empire that holds sway. As the story opened, we learn that Nehemiah is a right-hand man of the Persian Emperor Artaxerxes. Nehemiah has a front-row seat in that empire and its palace back in Susa. He has the power and wealth that comes with that position.

In today’s chapter, he gets a front-row seat at what the policies of the Persian empire are doing to the lives of average people in flyover country far from the Emperor’s gilded throne room.

Persia had steep taxes along with grain restrictions and regulations. People around Jerusalem had to mortgage their fields in order to make their tax payments. It was Hebrew nobles and merchants with wealth who loaned them the money and mortgaged their fields. When famine hit, and the poor farmers couldn’t make payments, their Hebrew lenders foreclosed or else they took their debtors children into slavery as collateral.

These were common financial practices in the culture of that day. This is how human empires operate. There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to human empire. The rich and powerful rig the system to get richer and more powerful, while the poor and the outcasts find it harder and harder to survive.

What’s crucial for me to consider as I read about the circumstances with which Nehemiah is faced in today’s chapter, is that God had instructed the Hebrews from the beginning of their covenant in Exodus that He wanted them to do things differently. God wanted them to operate by the principles of His Kingdom rather than human empire.

In Exodus 22:15, Leviticus 25, and Deuteronomy 15 God prohibits Hebrews from charging interest from their fellow Hebrews. God established a system by which every seventh year there was a jubilee. All debts were forgiven. Any mortgaged land was given back to the ancestral family who inherited it from God. Slaves were set free. The Hebrews were to be generous and acknowledge that everything belonged to God, not to them. This is how God’s Kingdom works.

This is not what was happening in and around Jerusalem. Here is Nehemiah, an agent of the human Persian empire who created the circumstances in which God’s people have been corrupted. Yet, Nehemiah knows God’s law. He sees the injustice.

Why rebuild the wall to protect God’s Temple and God’s system of redemption if within those walls there is nothing but corruption? Why waste the time, energy, and resources if the Hebrews become nothing more than another human empire?

Jewish rabbis call Nehemiah’s response in today’s chapter mussar. It’s an ethical rebuke that is intended to restore community, not merely punish. Nehemiah not only rebukes the nobles and wealthy money lenders, calling them to repent and follow God’s law, but he once again leads by example. As the Emperor’s right-hand man, Nehemiah had wealth and resources at his disposal. Nehemiah acts out of the generosity that is at the heart of God’s laws. He channels his stipend and food allowance into generously feeding others. He refuses to place more of a tax burden on the people.

As I meditated on today’s chapter in the quiet this morning, it struck me that yesterday’s chapter was about external opposition from neighboring enemies. Today’s chapter is about the enemy within. Yes, it was corruption within the Hebrew people, but it was even deeper than that. It was selfish ambition, greed, and lust for power that had penetrated the hearts and minds of the Hebrew nobles, merchants, and ruling class. It is that same selfish ambition, greed, and lust for power that fuels all human empires, while God’s Kingdom cries out for love, justice, hospitality, and generosity.

Human empire is typically thought of on a global and national scale, but I’m reminded this morning that it also exists on a personal scale. When selfish ambition, greed, and the desire for power are in the driver’s seat of my heart and mind, then my own life, home, family, and business become Tom’s little personal empire. In contrast, Jesus sent His Spirit to dwell within me and He made me and my body His temple. I am God’s Kingdom on earth. I am to live out God’s principles of love, justice, hospitality, and generosity. I can’t do that if I’m more concerned about Tom’s little personal empire.

Lord, help me be a Nehemiah.

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.

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Chapter-a-Day

The Presence

February 24, 2022 Tom Vander Well Leave a comment

“And surely I am with you always”
Matthew 28:20 (NIV)

This past weekend our local gathering of Jesus’ followers had what we call Original Works Night (OWN). The auditorium is set up in a coffee house atmosphere and a gallery is set up inside. Throughout the evening people perform their original songs and poems. The gallery is full of paintings, photography, and artwork in various mediums. We even had three musicians who improvised an instrumental piece to end the evening and it was awesome. I’m always blown away by the talent and creativity represented.

It was at an OWN a few years back that a group of children had done a creative project. On blank 3×5 cards, they had written various affirmations and decorated the card. It was set up in a display and attendees could exchange affirmations. You write one yourself, place it in the display, and you got to take an affirmation one of the children made. The affirmation I pulled out was quite simple: “God is with you.” It hangs on my dresser where I see it each morning when I prepare for bed each night.

“God is with you.”

Today’s chapter is the end of Matthew’s biography of Jesus. He leaves us with the resurrected Jesus telling His followers to go to all nations and share His story, making disciples everywhere they go. He then ends with “surely I am with you always.”

Matthew’s account begins with Jesus being the prophesied “Immanuel” which means “God with us.” It ends with “I will be with you always.” As a believer, I believe (and have experienced) there is Oneness between me and God through His indwelling Spirit. Perhaps the most radical paradigm shift Jesus unleashed was that the “temple” was no longer bricks-and-mortar but flesh-and-blood. No longer do I go to a building thinking that I meet God there, pay Him a visit, and hope that He shows up. I am the temple and God is with me always.

This is a basic spiritual truth of being a follower of Jesus and being a believer. It’s one that I observe differentiating those who have, by faith, experienced the transformation of Christ’s indwelling Spirit and those who are simply religious church-goers.

The church building is not God’s house. I am.

Why would I pray for God’s presence? He’s with me always.

About 25 years ago I was going through a stretch of my earthly journey in which I was willfully choosing to make life choices and behave in ways that were completely antithetical to being a Jesus follower. Even then, I was fully aware of God’s presence amidst all of the foolish, rebellious things I was doing. My relationship with God continued and I had regular conversations with God filled with anger and selfishness. That’s the thing I’ve discovered about surrendering my life to Christ and inviting Him in 40 years ago. Even when I choose to “walk away” He goes with me.

“God is with you.”

In the quiet this morning, I am grateful to be in a much better place on life’s road. I’m grateful to be made in the image of the Creator and for the ways that we can express inexpressible truths and experiences through art and creativity, even as children. I’m thankful for one child’s simple artistic affirmation of such an unfathomable spiritual reality.

“God is with you.”

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.

Chapter-a-Day

Consecrated

September 3, 2019 Tom Vander Well 2 Comments

I said to them, “You as well as these articles are consecrated to the Lord.”
Ezra 8:28 (NIV)

Growing up in my mother’s house, there was a set of decorative, fine china and silverware that was reserved for the most special of occasions. Typically it was a holiday feast or special event with extended family that brought out the precious place settings on the table.

Perhaps the notion of fine china still exists in homes today, though my personal experience is that society, in general, has become much more functional with our tableware. That’s the way it is in our house. Everyday china is used every day but it is embellished with special decoration or accessories for special occasions. Still, there is a small set of wine glasses handed down to Wendy from her family that I almost always use whenever we happen to celebrate the Lord’s Supper around our table. It just feels right to use a glass that is connected to family, history, and generations for such a purpose.

Consecration is a word we don’t use very often anymore. It means to be set apart or dedicated for special purpose. It’s like fine china reserved for the most special of occasions or a wine glass that’s only used for the purpose of Communion.

In today’s chapter, Ezra and the Hebrew exiles are preparing for their journey from captivity back to their home in Jerusalem. They are bringing with them special items that had been consecrated for use in the religious system of sacrifices and offerings in the Temple. These items were plundered by the Babylonians when Jerusalem was besieged and Solomon’s Temple was destroyed and plundered. These consecrated items along with gold and silver dedicated to the restoration of the Temple were carefully accounted for and given to individuals who were responsible for their safekeeping and protection during the journey.

Ezra makes an interesting statement to these individuals who were given responsibility for guarding the consecrated items. He tells them they are each consecrated just like the item in their possession.

Peter, writing to Jesus’ followers spread out through the Roman Empire, says something similar:

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
1 Peter 2:9

Just as Ezra’s exiles were themselves consecrated for carrying special items of worship in the Temple, followers of Jesus are consecrated, “holy” and “special possessions.” Indwelled by God’s Spirit, we carry in and with us the Spirit of God and the Word of God. Along my spiritual journey, I’ve found that believers are slow to accept or embrace this spiritual reality. Perhaps it’s because we don’t want to embrace the responsibility of it. Peter, in the very next paragraph of his letter, goes on to admonish the exiled believers to conduct themselves accordingly with their consecration:

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
1 Peter 2:11-12

In the quiet this morning I find myself thinking about special meals. I’ve enjoyed some wonderful, formal meals with the works: full place settings, fine china, special silver, and cloth napkins. I enjoy those special occasions. I’ve also, however, experienced some special meals that were just as special and meaningful in which the table setting and bill of fare was nothing extraordinary. It was the “consecrated” individuals sitting around that table that made all the difference.

I head into a new work week and a new month this morning reminded that Jesus Himself acknowledged that God had “set Him apart” and “sent into the world.” Jesus was consecrated for God’s purpose, and He knew it. It motivated what He did and said. I confess that I often lose sight of the reality that God has said He “consecrated” me. I forget that Jesus said “As the Father sent me (consecrated, with purpose), so I am sending you (consecrated, with purpose).” I wonder how different this week and month will go if I embrace and embody this reality?

Chapter-a-Day

24/7/365 Worship

June 16, 2014 Tom Vander Well 2 Comments

Church-of-the-Holy-Spirit-Jihlava2011 — This building is called Church-of-the-Holy-Spirit, but the real church of the Holy Spirit is what every believer sees when he/she looks in a mirror. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Those who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night.
1 Chronicles 9:33 (NIV)

For many of us, worship is something that happens one hour on Sunday each week. If you or your local gathering of believers is really whacky, you might add another hour or two by way of a Sunday night, Saturday night, or mid-week worship.

It struck me this morning reading about the host of singers and musicians who literally lived in the temple because they were needed day and night for the continuous worship that took place. The idea of “continuous worship” is foreign to most of us because our brains, experience, and tradition has been to compartmentalize worship into a one or two hour time slot in our week. The threat of this, of course, is that we think of God and/or our faith as something we put into a compartment of time. We take it out once or twice a week, then put it back and forget about it until the calendar and clock tell us it’s time to pull it back out again.

I am reminded this morning of the radical concept that Jesus introduced and which Jesus followers celebrated around the globe just over a week ago on the Sunday we call Pentecost. God’s Holy Spirit was poured out into the hearts of believers. The temple stopped being bricks and mortar and became flesh and blood in the form of any and all who believe. Church was never supposed to be a building we go to once or twice a week. Church was to be the living, breathing, touching, loving, feeling, serving people who believe and follow Jesus. Worship can happen anywhere, anytime, day or night because God isn’t at the church building, God is in me. My body is the temple and I take it with me wherever I go.

Today, I’m reminded once again that my body is a temple of God open for worship 24/7/365.