DCLM Daily Manna 24 January 2025 — Dangerous Apathy
DCLM Daily Manna 24 January 2025 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Dangerous Apathy
Topic: Dangerous Apathy
Text: Nehemiah 3:1-5
1Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel.
2And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri.
3But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
4And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz. And next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabeel. And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of Baana.
5And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord.
Key Verse: “And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord” (Nehemiah 3:5).
Message
During the 15th century, some people were worried that Leonardo Da Vinci wasn’t painting fast enough! One church leader took this very grievance to the Duke of Milan, complaining about Leonardo’s laziness and procrastination. One could hardly blame him for griping. Leonardo’s habits were strange. Some days, he would seize the brush before sunrise and only set it down at sunset, forgetting even to eat. On other days, he would spend hours just staring at his work, not applying a single brushstroke. Then there were times when he would arrive at the monastery in the middle of the day, pick up a brush, apply one or two strokes, and then suddenly dart from the room. The Duke of Milan began to worry that if Leonardo continued his erratic work habits, he would never finish. But Leonardo replied, “Men of lofty genius sometimes accomplish the most when they work the least, for their minds are occupied with their ideas and the perfection of their conceptions, to which they afterward give form.”
Also Read: Open Heaven 23 January 2025 – No Respecter Of Persons
The nobles of Tekoa, in our text, weren’t practising productive procrastination. Unlike Leonardo da Vinci; they were, instead, negative and non-challenged about the project of rebuilding the walls. All the tribes and individual houses of Israel got involved in the noble task, except the aristocrats of Tekoa who remained unconcerned and uninvolved. They might have thought the menial task was below their dignity, or maybe they had other priorities considered more critical. Their apathy did not escape the notice of God Almighty, nor did ordinary Tekoites’ enthusiasm. God was unhappy with the nobles.
Also Read: DCLM Daily Manna 23 January 2024 – The Recipe For Success
Apathy is dangerous at any stage of human existence and in any field of human endeavour. It is akin to being the living dead. Medical science regards apathy as symptomatic of poor mental health, just as spiritual apathy is conclusive of a diseased Christian life. We must therefore keep the embers of grace in our hearts aglow by consistent recourse to regular prayers and the study of the word of God with daily self-denial.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
True nobility is clothed in gracious self-forgetfulness.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Exodus 26 –29
Deeper Life Daily Manna For Today 2024 was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
