The Character of Nehemiah - Part 3

Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in dis­grace." I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, "Let us start rebuilding." So, they began this good work (Nehemiah 2:17, 18). 

Our look into Nehemiah continues, he is an incredible fellow. Last time, we looked and saw a man who was honest and known to have integrity, all of which was grounded in his faith and respect for God.

In Jerusalem, the broken-hearted citizens that remained saw their devastated city and especially the damage to the wall that had come as a result of attacks from foreign armies. The city of Jerusalem was now more vulnerable than ever, and the people were worried and in despair. With the king's blessing, it is Nehemiah who stands in and envisions a reconstructed wall. He had a clear view of the tall task ahead. If he had any doubts, he set them aside and looked past the hurdles. Nehemiah calls the people to action, and they build. He knew God was with him, and he did not shy away from this enormous task, nor did he give up when it became increasingly difficult. 

The moment exposes another quality in Nehemiah. His eyes were open to see the opportunities God placed before him. He was ready to use his talents to serve.

For Nehemiah, he was in tune with God and had his hope firmly planted in the Creator. He had a heart for God's people, taking a similar interest as his ultimate authority figure. This spirit drove his choices. If he mostly cared about his high-ranking position or his day to day work, or if he had a girlfriend or wife as his ultimate priority, he would not have seen or shown concern for the opportunity that God now presented. He may have thought to leave it to someone else or just not have cared enough to bother with the problem. His eyes, heart, and energies would have focused elsewhere. But he was passionate and driven. He wanted to see the bad situation corrected and was he was going to do his part.

Sometimes, you may feel stuck or trapped in some way. You may find it challenging to move forward or to grow. This entrenched spirit can affect your attitude towards God or your faith, your action or efforts on your job or in academics, or how you are at home. If you have been in that spot for a while, your head may be looking down in spirit. Let's learn from Nehemiah.

For him, while we have no insights into how he was doing before we find him in the book of Nehemiah, there was a sudden opportunity set before him. While he was probably aware of many of the battles that persisted around him, the destroyed wall in Jerusalem shocked him. He certainly wasn't looking for this sort of catastrophe to provide him an opportunity to serve his God.

You never know what will happen tomorrow. Will God provide you an opportunity? Will there be opportunities in job search, promotion hopes, character development, or reaching out to a friend? Heads up, be prepared. If you have an intention to find life opportunities, putting effort into moving forward while believing that God will open doors, we believe great things can happen. We believe God wants to use your talents and help you grow as He did with Nehemiah and so many other biblical characters. You need a heartfelt desire to do so. If your head is not up and your eyes aren't looking, you won't find them easily. Often, we then settle for less than what could be. 

Where does your passion lie? Does your passion match God's? Or do you know? 

It was a substantial risk for Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem. He could have lost his job, his title, and his income, but it didn't matter enough to him compared to the situation that distressed him so. His concern matched God's, and when the need for the rebuilding of the wall presented itself, Nehemiah was the man to take it on. His eyes were open to the opportunity given to him, and he was ready to be used under God's will, a sign of a great leader and Godly character.