Nehemiah

The story of Nehemiah is a fascinating one. He lived during the Persian Empire, around 425 B.C. and was a Jewish servant of Artaxerxes, king of Persia. The Israelite, Jewish, people had been in captivity and dispersed from their homeland for a long time, but some had been allowed to go home to Jerusalem. Now in Nehemiah chapter 2, we see Nehemiah is sad before the king because he realizes that the wall of Jerusalem has not been restored, and he feels greatly that this needs to be done.

The first lesson we learn here is that before doing anything, Nehemiah prays to God. This would be a great first step for us as we contemplate taking on some task. God actually cares and will direct our lives if we but let him.


Then Nehemiah asks the king if he can return to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall. He is granted this opportunity. We see that Nehemiah has prepared himself for this very difficult task; we need to do the same. We need to be prepared for whatever opportunity comes our way; prepare ourselves well to meet the challenges ahead, especially if we are seeking to do God's will.

The story goes on to show that Nehemiah faces lots of opposition from people outside his ranks and even some from within. Anytime we take on a challenge for good, we will face opposition; the devil will see to it. But with God's help we can overcome and persevere.

The wall was completed in 52 days! That is amazing. It had sat in ruins for so many years. We can, with God's help, turn ruined things, ruined lives, sometimes total destruction into something good, something complete, something pleasing to God. Let us prepare ourselves, look for the opportunity to serve, not be deterred by the opposition, and build for God. If you can, take the time to read the book of Nehemiah--it is a great read.


Thanks for tuning in. I hope you have a great week!