But, Yet, & Nevertheless

Nehemiah 9

Israel’s history looks like a seesaw - an up and down, back and forth pattern where two sides function in opposing ways. On one side are the people, and on the other, God himself, and their teetering relationship rests on these words at the fulcrum: but, yet, and nevertheless.

God moves closer, but Israel runs further.

God leans in, yet Israel leans out.

God remains steady. Nevertheless, Israel turns away.

The contrast is obvious, and it’s amplified by another conjunction: and. God’s actions on their behalf add up like a problem from a page in a math book: God did this, and that, and also gave this, and knew that, and provided that, and brought this...

“But they stiffened their neck and did not obey...” 9:16

“Yet they acted presumptuously…” 9:29

“Nevertheless they rebelled, cast your law behind their back, killed your prophets, and committed great blasphemies…” 9:26

It seems that these three connecting words signal doom for Israel and that there’s no way to reverse them. And yet, even these dreaded words can mean redemption when what follows them describes God:

“But you are a God ready to forgive…” 9:17

“Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, 

for you have dealt faithfully…” 9:33

“Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, 

for you are a gracious and merciful God.” 9:31

If Israel’s but, yet, and nevertheless sound like your story with God, know that the but, yet, and nevertheless of God form the fulcrum of our relationship with Him. In Christ, they tip the scales in our favor, because his grace outweighs our sin, his faithfulness is greater than our disloyalty, and his mercy runs deeper than our pride.