Some Thoughts on Nehemiah
I was reading in Nehemiah today and i jotted down some thoughts from the first couple of chapters for myself and I thought I might share them here…
Nehemiah’s heart was broken
God broke his heart for a cause bigger than himself
He felt the pain, the humiliation that his people were going thru even though he was not there…
He made it a priority of in his life… he stopped and prayed and fasted…
Lord, God of Heaven hear my prayer… he acknowledged,confessed, asked for intercession – help
He realized that he worked in a place of influence though he had none there…
He was faith full for 4 months when one day the Kings noticed him… that is crazy.. the king never noticed slaves and servants… much less talk to them. Yet the King stops and talk to Nehemiah..
What if Nehemiah had not prepared himself with a plan
What if he wussed out…
What if he had turned the moment into something about him…
Nehemiah had prepared himself to be ready if and when an opportunity arose.
He did not just fast or pray about it…
He devised a plan so that whenever God opened an opportunity he was able to take advantage of it and that is what happened 4 months after he had first been struck with this mission and vision on his life…
He made the Big Ask… when the King opened the door for it!
He got everything he asked for and then some…
Once there he got resistance from men who had benefitted from the condition of the poverty of the Hebrews and did not like the idea that they were going to lose their sweet set-up
They were upset because there was now an advocate… someone working on behalf of the good of the people… Great reminder for me and for us Renovation no matter where or what we are doing in our city… God wants to do immeasurably more than we can ask or think in us and through us for His Kingdom and His glory and for the shalom of our city.
