I lived near a small city park. Yesterday, as I was walking, one of the city employees was just finishing up repairing the brick work on the circular sitting wall,that surrounds the eating area. Several bricks had fallen off and some others had been pounded off over a period of time. One time when I was at the park a little boy about three was happily playing with his toy, a hammer, blissfully going down the row of facing bricks, one by one, pounding them off the concrete base.....The repair work looked so good and I thanked the repairer for his skill and work...do we thank city workers for their diligence enough, working behind the scenes helping to keep us safe, clean, etc???
Anyway, the repairer of walls, reminded me of Nehemiah. His repair job was on a much bigger scale...the walls surrounding Jerusalem ....
He heard about the walls in disrepair from fellow Jews while he was the cupbearer for the king in another country...he wept, mourned, prayed, fasted...when he heard the news of his homeland...Jerusalem was the Jewish holy city, representing the Jewish national identity. So many Jewish events happened in that city and Nehemiah wanted to help in someway to take away the shame of its broken walls...and he did....receiving letters for safety, supplies, he went there with the king's blessing to bring about the repairing of the walls in record time even with harassment , ridicule, opposition.....he united the people to help one another, protect one another, and ultimately to finish the job.....
When the job was completed, they had a dedication, with instruments, singers, offered sacrifices, all rejoicing, "the sound of rejoicing In Jerusalem could be heard far away". A huge job, finished....
Nehemiah has so many lessons in its 13 short chapters,,,prayer, leadership, unity, blessing, perseverance, .....among others....God used Nehemiah, a willing vessel, to unite, rebuild, lead the way...in repairs...of the wall, ....of the people....
Am I a willing vessel, a praying one, ? Where do I fit in this kingdom work???
Thank you for your leadership, headship in Nehemiah's life, an example In so many ways to those of us who need to rebuild those walls in our lives that need repair, .....by prayer and diligence ....doing it as unto The Lord....for His glory....
Nehemiah 1-13....good thoughtful reading as usual.....
http://www.raystedman.org/old-testament/nehemiah
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