Ah, Nehemiah: One of my favorite books on responding to burdens God places on the heart! I believe God wants us to notice those things He puts in the path of our vision. Nehemiah noticed--and like Esther before him--risked his life with a downtrodden face before the King. Our King embraces sad hearts; we should have no fear of going before Him with what saddens us. In fact, if you are really brave, you could ask Him to break your heart for what breaks His--but I digress. Back to Nehemiah...
News that the holy city of his heritage was in distress weighed upon Nehemiah. He didn't just blabber about the terrible state of the matter; he acted. He seized the opportunity to speak to the king. He didn't go to the leaders of the city or the priests...he walked through the doors God opened. He asked for supplies, he inspired workers, he made a plan, responded to difficulties and kept folks on task! Now there is an outline for meeting the needs God lays upon our hearts.
By the way, Nehemiah didn't try to do it all...he motivated others and he worked alongside them. Each family of workers had a piece to focus on and they worked side-by-side. One family did not supervise another--each took responsibility for the work before them. Nehemiah didn't 'lord' it over them and while he seems to have noticed less that whole-hearted work, it does not seem he critiqued performance. In fact, one family is said not to have put their necks to their work--but they are recorded as doing more than one section. There was and is plenty of work to go around. Let's be like Nehemiah and lead by example.
News that the holy city of his heritage was in distress weighed upon Nehemiah. He didn't just blabber about the terrible state of the matter; he acted. He seized the opportunity to speak to the king. He didn't go to the leaders of the city or the priests...he walked through the doors God opened. He asked for supplies, he inspired workers, he made a plan, responded to difficulties and kept folks on task! Now there is an outline for meeting the needs God lays upon our hearts.
By the way, Nehemiah didn't try to do it all...he motivated others and he worked alongside them. Each family of workers had a piece to focus on and they worked side-by-side. One family did not supervise another--each took responsibility for the work before them. Nehemiah didn't 'lord' it over them and while he seems to have noticed less that whole-hearted work, it does not seem he critiqued performance. In fact, one family is said not to have put their necks to their work--but they are recorded as doing more than one section. There was and is plenty of work to go around. Let's be like Nehemiah and lead by example.
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