Consider Nehemiah

Looking at the Church today it is easy to make a comparison to the walls of Jerusalem. The walls of the Church have been broken down just as Nehemiah spoke in chapter 1 verse 3:

"And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire." (Nehemiah 1:3)

There are local churches as well as entire denominations who wink at abortion, who ordain homosexuals, who have all but done away with any absolutes – and they call themselves part of the Body of Christ.

But, God is raising up Nehemiah's to repair the walls and to go into action rebuilding the standard which sin has torn down.

As true believers, our goal is to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Nehemiah saw the need. Jerusalem's walls had been broken down and his heart was heavy. He mourned the condition of the City of God. It was important to him to do all in his power to rebuild the walls and secure the city and to once again make it a place where God dwelt.

"...the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down..."

We have all grieved over the state of the Church as a whole today. But have we taken the next step and asked God to use us to help build the walls back up? Have we considered what we can do? How can we make a difference? Where do we start?

Consider Nehemiah. He prayed. He confessed sin, not only his own but on behalf of all of Israel. He fasted. He waited before God for an answer. He stormed the gates of heaven on behalf of the broken down walls.

Ask God today how He can use you to build up that which has been torn down . . . how you can be a modern-day Nehemiah. Pray, confess sin, fast, wait before God, and storm the gates of heaven on behalf of the Church. Be a part of the solution; doing nothing only adds to the problem.

Father, my heart is heavy when I think of the Church You built up in which to reign and through which You desire to display Your glory. The effects of sin have diminished the power You have intended the Church to demonstrate in order that Your glory might be manifest throughout the earth. Although I don't understand how it came to be this way, I do understand that if You are not glorified, if the Word of God is not revered, if the evil in this world has entered in because the walls remain broken and in sore need of repair, then we, as the Body of Christ, are neglecting our duty to be a Nehemiah. Father, I want to be part of the solution, NOT part of the problem. "Here I am, Lord, send me." (Isaiah 6:8) Because of Jesus, my Redeemer . . . amen and amen.

© Jan Ross
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