December 14, 2010
Nehemiah quietly and without fanfare, goes out at night to inspect the wall and gates. Nehemiah knew God was sending him to repair the wall and gates, yet I love the fact that he didn't just arrive in town and boisterously take over. He did due diligence. He was wise, exactly how God wants us to respond and act even when we know the end result of what He wants us to accomplish.
After Nehemiah did all the ground work, he calls the people together and says to them, "You can see" (not I have determined) "the trouble we have here... Jerusalem is a pile of ruins... come, let us rebuild..." He also told them how God had been kind to him and what the king had said to him. The people answered, "Let's start rebuilding." And everyone began to work hard. Well, almost everyone. Sanballat, Tobiah, and others made fun of them, laughed, ridiculed, despised, and mocked them. They were upset Nehemiah had come to help the Israelites. Nehemiah replied to their contempt, "The God of heaven will give us success. We, his servants, will start rebuilding, but you have no share, claim, or memorial in Jerusalem."
And they began rebuilding, dedicating their work to the LORD's service. I love how it describes how the people worked together. They each had their job to do, and they did it. Over and over throughout chapter three it says, "next to him... next to him."
When God has a plan we can trust Him to help us accomplish that plan. The key is making sure it is God's plan and not our own, and then being diligent and wise in our decision making. And most importantly, standing strong when others try to discourage or prevent you from following God's plan.
Today's Life Lesson verses (read yesterday):
Psalm 4:8 - "I go to bed and sleep in peace, because, LORD only you keep me safe."
Proverbs 18:10 - "The LORD is like a strong tower; those who do right can run to him for safety."
Isaiah 41:10 - "So don't worry, because I am with you. Don't be afraid, because I am your God. I will make you strong and help you; I will support you with my right hand that saves you."
John 17:11–12 - "...Holy Father, keep them safe by the power of your name..."
II Thessalonians 3:3 - "But the LORD is faithful and will give you strength and will protect you from the Evil One."
Hebrews 13:5–6 - "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be satisfied with what you have. God has said, "I will never leave you; I will never forget you." So we can be sure when we say, "I will not be afraid, because the LORD is my helper. People can't do anything to me."
The second thing that stuck out to me today is found in Nehemiah 2:20. Sanballat and Tobiah did everything in their power to disrupt Nehemiah's work. Nehemiah replied to their contempt, "The God of heaven will give us success. We, his servants, will start rebuilding, but you have no share, claim, or memorial in Jerusalem." When I read what I wrote I thought I must have missed a word while writing. I thought it should say "you (will) have no share, claim, or memorial in Jerusalem." So I looked up the verse to see if I had inadvertently left out the word will. But I didn't leave it out. The verse is written exactly like I wrote it.
Nehemiah quietly and without fanfare, goes out at night to inspect the wall and gates. Nehemiah knew God was sending him to repair the wall and gates, yet I love the fact that he didn't just arrive in town and boisterously take over. He did due diligence. He was wise, exactly how God wants us to respond and act even when we know the end result of what He wants us to accomplish.
After Nehemiah did all the ground work, he calls the people together and says to them, "You can see" (not I have determined) "the trouble we have here... Jerusalem is a pile of ruins... come, let us rebuild..." He also told them how God had been kind to him and what the king had said to him. The people answered, "Let's start rebuilding." And everyone began to work hard. Well, almost everyone. Sanballat, Tobiah, and others made fun of them, laughed, ridiculed, despised, and mocked them. They were upset Nehemiah had come to help the Israelites. Nehemiah replied to their contempt, "The God of heaven will give us success. We, his servants, will start rebuilding, but you have no share, claim, or memorial in Jerusalem."
And they began rebuilding, dedicating their work to the LORD's service. I love how it describes how the people worked together. They each had their job to do, and they did it. Over and over throughout chapter three it says, "next to him... next to him."
When God has a plan we can trust Him to help us accomplish that plan. The key is making sure it is God's plan and not our own, and then being diligent and wise in our decision making. And most importantly, standing strong when others try to discourage or prevent you from following God's plan.
Today's Life Lesson verses (read yesterday):
Psalm 4:8 - "I go to bed and sleep in peace, because, LORD only you keep me safe."
Proverbs 18:10 - "The LORD is like a strong tower; those who do right can run to him for safety."
Isaiah 41:10 - "So don't worry, because I am with you. Don't be afraid, because I am your God. I will make you strong and help you; I will support you with my right hand that saves you."
John 17:11–12 - "...Holy Father, keep them safe by the power of your name..."
II Thessalonians 3:3 - "But the LORD is faithful and will give you strength and will protect you from the Evil One."
Hebrews 13:5–6 - "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be satisfied with what you have. God has said, "I will never leave you; I will never forget you." So we can be sure when we say, "I will not be afraid, because the LORD is my helper. People can't do anything to me."
"You have a God who hears you, the power of love behind you, the Holy Spirit within you, and all of heaven ahead of you." ~ Max LucadoAddendum: 12/17/14 ~ Two things stuck out to me today as I was re-reading Nehemiah 2:11 – 3:32. The first is found in Nehemiah 2:12 - "I had not told anyone what God had caused me to do for Jerusalem." No fan fare, no announcements, no presumptuousness, no "look at me," just a quiet understanding that God was using him for such a time as this. It had been months since Nehemiah first became aware that he was supposed to do something. He didn't know what all God had in store for him. He just knew he was going to faithful, and he put one foot in front of the other and started on his journey of following the LORD's lead. The entire process of building the wall took time. It wasn't something that was completed quickly. When one area was completed they surrendered that part to God and went on to the next area. It was done step by step. As each step was faithfully completed, God revealed what the next step should be.
The second thing that stuck out to me today is found in Nehemiah 2:20. Sanballat and Tobiah did everything in their power to disrupt Nehemiah's work. Nehemiah replied to their contempt, "The God of heaven will give us success. We, his servants, will start rebuilding, but you have no share, claim, or memorial in Jerusalem." When I read what I wrote I thought I must have missed a word while writing. I thought it should say "you (will) have no share, claim, or memorial in Jerusalem." So I looked up the verse to see if I had inadvertently left out the word will. But I didn't leave it out. The verse is written exactly like I wrote it.
I thought Nehemiah/God was saying that because of their actions, Sanballat and Tobiah will not have a share, claim, or memorial in Jerusalem, a future accountability for their present actions. But that isn't what it is saying. Sanballat and Tobiah DO NOT have a share, claim, or memorial in Jerusalem NOW. It is not what I thought it was saying, but it makes total sense and it explains their actions. It was because of their present reality (not being surrendered to God), that the heart of the matter was exposed. It revealed itself in their opposition to God's plans and "we, his servants." While there was dissension and opposition along the way, it did not prevent the wall from being built and God's will from being fulfilled. It only prevented Sanballat and Tobiah from receiving what could have been theirs: a past, present, and future "share, claim, or memorial in Jerusalem."
For such a time as this. Over the past several years God has been revealing my next step one at a time. In just the last several months, there seems to have been an increase in understanding the path my husband and I are on. I now know, at least in part, the plan God is directing me towards in telling His Story. It feels like the next part of our faith journey is about to begin and His Story will soon be told. See The LORD Answers! There is a reason I am now reading the Bible from Nehemiah to Job. God is showing me new things all over again just as I am in the process of realizing what our next steps are to be.
I am in awe. Once again, I stand amazed.
Next Entry: Nehemiah 4:1–23
For such a time as this. Over the past several years God has been revealing my next step one at a time. In just the last several months, there seems to have been an increase in understanding the path my husband and I are on. I now know, at least in part, the plan God is directing me towards in telling His Story. It feels like the next part of our faith journey is about to begin and His Story will soon be told. See The LORD Answers! There is a reason I am now reading the Bible from Nehemiah to Job. God is showing me new things all over again just as I am in the process of realizing what our next steps are to be.
I am in awe. Once again, I stand amazed.
Next Entry: Nehemiah 4:1–23
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