Nehemiah - Rebuilding

Question of the day: If money and time was no object is there anything that you would do for God that you are not currently doing? 

Today we finish up Chapter 2 of Nehemiah. 

READ: Nehemiah 2:11-20

Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls

11 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days 12 I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.

13 By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal[a] Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; 15 so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. 16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.

17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.

They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.

19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”

20 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”

I realize this is a short passage and frankly it is a short lesson on points as well.  However a couple very important ones.  

1. How did he go to Jerusalem? 

2. Why didn't he tell anyone what God had put on his heart?

3. What was the wisdom in not talking about it?

I will be perfectly honest, I like to talk.  Okay I know none of you are surprised by that.  I would have found it very challenging to keep quiet.  There is no question depending on your personality that perhaps you need to remember to speak up.  However if you are like me, what a wonderful reminder to keep quiet.  To certainly keep quiet long enough to really listen to God and to know if this is the time to speak up or if this is a time to be quiet. 

The next time God puts something on your heart, make sure you take time to ask him to make it clear when you should share and when you should be quiet.  

So he gets to Jerusalem and what does he do then? 

How does he prepare?

Why?

Let me just give you an idea of how I think this would go today.  Let's say that someone hears about the walls around the SDA church headquarters were in shambles, or let's say it was the exterior of the building.  Not nearly as big a deal.  But just for giggles, lets say you are angered by the disrepair of the GC headquarters and you pray and fast and even take it up with your boss the president of the US and he gives you grants and such.  

I guarantee the next step would be to form committee's to nominate committees to proceed with first deciding whether or not the repairs should even be done, and then if so, who and how and what color all requiring a different committee to make these decisions and then, maybe finally... they would start on the project, but there would be change orders and those who say that too much is being spent on the project when really the funds should be going to other projects that helped to feed the poor or to help out in the mission fields etc.  How long do you think it would take to get the wall built and the gates rebuilt in today's culture? 

Nehemiah instead made sure he knew what he was talking about so that he could impress the leaders and formulate a plan.  

What was the result? 

"Let's rebuild." What a beautiful sound that must have been to Nehemiah's ears.  

What sentence would you like to hear "the leaders" say to you?

Is there something that God has been putting on your heart?  An injustice, or a burden you have for your community? 

I really believe that God is calling more and more of us to do something for Him and he is asking us to get involved.  When I think of Blass and the Alzheimers group or the room at the Inn, that was a man who saw a need or an injustice and stepped forward boldly with a plan and got people to come around beside him and make it happen. 

What is God calling you to do for him?

Remember if your afraid.... WHO CARES!  WE know that God can do so much more through us than we could ever imagine.  

I want to challenge you this week to ask God if there is something that he has been trying to put on your heart that you have been pushing back, or trying to quiet.  If there is....

Let Nehemiah be your example in these first two chapters of how to get started!