Nehemiah 1-3

May 23

Nehemiah 1-3

Nehemiah discovered a problem. Word was brought to him that the wall around Jerusalem was broken down and the gates were no longer standing. The city was a mess. Nehemiah had a desire to do something about the problem, but he first went to God. He reminded God of His promise to the Israelites that He would bring them back to Jerusalem, if they turned back to Him. Then He asked God to show him favor as he moved forward one step at a time with his plan.

The king asked Nehemiah why he was depressed. Nehemiah prayed then responded that the walls around his home city were destroyed and the gates no longer stood. The king asked what Nehemiah wanted and Nehemiah saw it as an answer to his prayers. Nehemiah asked to go to Jerusalem and asked for letters from the king to provide protection and materials.

When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he did not tell anyone his plan. He went out at night and examined the project and concocted a plan. For the first time he presented the plan to the people in Jerusalem. He shared how God had blessed him and that the king had showed him favor. The people were excited because they knew God was at work in their midst. They did not want to miss an opportunity to join in the work of God and willingly bought into the project.

The work was distributed among the people so one person did not have to carry the entire load. Many worked on the section of wall closest to their home or business. The project was practical and mattered the them personally.

Nehemiah’s system for accomplishing the building of the walls can be instructional for us. When we see what we perceive as a need, we first go to God. Seek His input and His direction. If He directs us and opens doors, we walk through. We can ask boldly if we know God is with us. As He provides we move forward. We do not need to begin sharing the details of our plans until we have them formulated for ourselves. We need to observe and pray before we try to sell our idea to others. When we can share how God has worked to bring the project to the people, they will be more than willing to join in, especially if the project matters to them personally.