Devotional Life · Commitment and Service

Wanting to do something different, but… doing the same thing?!

5 min read, approximately

“The king said to me: What are you asking for? Then I prayed to the God of heaven and said to the king: If it pleases the king, and your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors’ tombs, so that I may rebuild it.” (Nehemiah 2:4-5)

Like you and me, Nehemiah had a great dream: he wanted to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls (Nehemiah 1:3)! But how was he able to make it happen? The Word gives us some points to help us see that dream fulfilled: \1. We must fast and pray:

“When I heard these words, I sat down and wept, mourned for several days, and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” (Nehemiah 1:4)

…Every dream becomes a project when we decide to pursue it, and every project requires planning. So who is wiser than the Lord to give us the best strategy for undertaking that project?

“For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6)

. Nehemiah knew that without the Lord’s guidance, his dream would only end in failure. So… fasting and prayer! \2. We must read the Word to find grace and favor:

“I pray, O Lord, let your ear now be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who desire to honor your name. Grant your servant success today and give him favor before this man. For I was cupbearer to the king.” (Nehemiah 1:11)

. Let us not forget that besides being the king’s cupbearer, Nehemiah was a slave in exile. Who would imagine that a slave could ask permission to leave? Nehemiah needed grace and favor, and only the Lord could grant them! Now:

“My child, do not forget my law, and let your heart keep my commandments… You will find favor and a good reputation in the eyes of God and people.” (Proverbs 3:1,4)

…Reading the Word has its benefits! \3. Watching from afar? No! We must get to work!

“Then I told them how the hand of my God had been good to me, and also the words the king had spoken to me. They said: Let us rise and build. So they strengthened their hands for the good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite servant, and Geshem the Arab heard it, they mocked and despised us, saying: What is this you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king? I answered them: The God of heaven will grant us success, and we his servants will rise and build, for you have no share, right, or memorial in Jerusalem.” (Nehemiah 2:18-20)

. That is right: many will rise up to prevent us from moving forward, but if God has allowed us to begin, why should we stop? Let us rise and undertake the task, get to work, and keep a good attitude, for the Lord fights for us! \4. Remember why we are undertaking the work—our purpose:

“Then I looked, stood up, and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: Do not fear them; remember the Lord, great and fearsome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and daughters, your wives, and your homes. When our enemies heard that we knew and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to their task.” (Nehemiah 4:14-15)

. Difficulties will always arise as we carry out the project… But remembering that God fights for us, what he has enabled us to do, how far we have come, and keeping our goal in sight renews our strength to continue, because God strengthens our hands! \5. When we finish, remember that the glory and honor belong to the Lord:

“So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul, in fifty-two days.” (Nehemiah 6:15)

…

“Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered: Amen! Amen! They raised their hands, humbled themselves, and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.” (Nehemiah 8:6)

. Nehemiah never said that he accomplished it in his own strength… He gave God the glory and honor! At this point, it is fitting to remember that only through God have we been able to succeed in this project. Will we give glory and honor to the Lord? We cannot achieve something different by always doing the same thing. Effort, work, attitude, and dedication are required. Even when problems arise, we must remember that we can do all things in Christ who strengthens us. Let us remember that the one who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world! You and I have the mind of Christ! Enough watching! Like Nehemiah, let us set out to pursue that dream. Let us get to work!

May God continue to bless you
and may you continue to have an excellent day in Christ Jesus!
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