We meet Nehemiah as he is in the citadel of Susa (Persia), aka a busy, hoppin place.
You see, Nehemiah held a position of honor and trust: the King of Persia's cupbearer (this is important, remember this for the future post!)
He is in the middle of his day to day transactions, possibly involving important meetings or errands for the king, and bam; here show up his family from Judah. (As family so lovely does at times :)).
Nehemiah questions the welfare of the remaining people left in his city, as there had been exile in previous years. He does not receive the answer his hope reached for. His brother, Hanani, and company fill him in on the state of "trouble and disgrace" that fills his hometown.
The terrible news delivered:
"The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire." -Ch 1:3
Destroyed. Left alone.
The protection the city had known had been reduced to rubble. Those who had already survived an exile of their country were suffering from terrible vulnerability. You see, the wall served as a symbol of their protection, strength, and territory... and it had been demolished, stripped of its purpose. Gaping holes, rubbled rock, and shattered pieces.
I wonder if any of us have ever experienced a feeling of lost protection, vulnerability, and rubble. Have you ever felt left with pieces? Broken down from fires in life, and smashed where the lines between what is you and everything else in life blends together? I imagine this is the state the jews found themselves in.
At this horrible news Nehemiah's heart is broken. He mourns, and weeps, and fasts before God.
You see that last part is important... he brings his mourning before the Lord. In this prayer, Nehemiah faces the truth with God, and does not try to blame the Lord, but instead inquires of God the promises He had already laid out. He takes hold of what he knows to be true, and hold God to his word in confidence and humility:
"Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant with those who love Him and keep His commands, let Your eyes be open and Your ears be attentive to hear Your servant’s prayer that I now pray to You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins we have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have acted corruptly toward You and have not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances You gave Your servant Moses. 8 Please remember what You commanded Your servant Moses: “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples. 9 But if you return to Me and carefully observe My commands, even though your exiles were banished to the ends of the earth, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I chose to have My name dwell.” 10 They are Your servants and Your people. You redeemed them by Your great power and strong hand. 11 Please, Lord, let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and to that of Your servants who delight to revere Your name. Give Your servant success today, and have compassion on him in the presence of this man."
-Nehemiah 1:5-11
This story continues in a beautiful response from God that began with a proper response to horrible, devastating news.
Nehemiah took a posture of prayer when struck with pain, and God orchestrated a story of overwhelming restoration.
Do you long for restoration? Sweetheart, our God is able to handle the extent of brokenness you feel. He felt brokenness to the highest extent on a cross, and a story rose from brokenness to save us from our rubble. The same God who's hole-handed body walked out of a grave is calling us out of our graves of hurt and hopelessness, and into light.
NO MATTER HOW BIG THE BROKENNESS, OR HOW SCARY THE FEAR, GOD IS AT WORK & ABLE TO SAVE YOU FROM IT.
Today can we ask Him how we can allow him to work more? To just do the very next thing: surrender to Him. <3
The best is yet to come... read on as I post to find out.
No comments:
Post a Comment