December 11

The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people, but I did not do this because of my fear of God. — Neh 5:15 BSB

We can never thank God enough for His restraining grace. What would we be without it? How unspeakably merciful it is that you cannot do what your sinful nature would urge you to do, nor act as you might desire, nor speak as you would naturally speak, because within those who fear God, there is a spiritual principle that holds you back from walking in the ways of sin and death. Think of how this spirit of grace and godly fear preserved Joseph in his moment of temptation, how it kept David from killing Saul when he had the chance as Saul slept in the cave, and how it kept Nehemiah from falling into extortion and oppression. In countless other cases, it has kept the feet of the saints from doing things that would have destroyed their reputations, damaged their character, brought shame on the name of God, and caused them great grief and sorrow in their own consciences.