Day 35: Nehemiah

Despite being the shortest man in the Bible (sorry, couldn't resist), if you ever need a good guide for leadership, look here.

Nehemiah starts out by seeking God, seeks God in the middle of everything and ends by seeking God.  These stories of the exile are always bittersweet.  They hint of what might have been and what once was for the Israelites.  Instead, what they are left with is the skeletal remains of their city and of their people, but it is still a people of hope.

Nehemiah begins out of grief and a desire to help his people and his homeland.  He wants to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, not for himself, but for his people because they used to be a people set apart by God in this land.  Now they are God's people wandering and forced into exile and ridicule.  Now that there is a chance to rebuild something of what once was, he wants to be a part of that.  He wants it, but Nehemiah still seeks God first.

He is granted the request of his heart and returns to Jerusalem.  Nehemiah returns with the blessing and edict of the king and he also brings with him a smattering of encouragement for his countrymen.  He encourages them to join him because God is with them and indeed, it seems He is.  The people take heart and start building, but like with the Temple, they are soon face to face with opposition.  Nehemiah reports of the courage of his people: "we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their hearts" (Neh 4:6).  Then Israel's enemies plot against them and the pray to God.  They continue the work with Nehemiah's encouragement, "Our God will fight for us!" (Neh 4:20).  They continue to build with half the amount of workers because the other have stands guard with their spears and their swords, but they persevere.

Nehemiah leads his people through hardship, he comes through for them and works just as hard as they do.  When some are being oppressed by their own people, Nehemiah stands up for them and points back to what God says.  They are disobeying God by essentially enslaving their countrymen just so they can stay afloat or even make a profit.  He calls them out and they are humbled.

I think there are a lot of parallels in Nehemiah, especially to today.  How many of us desire a leader to see our toil and fear and frustration?  I know I do.  Nehemiah did because his heart was in the right place.  He sought God and He brought God and His word to the people.  The people were so distraught by this because they realized how far they had fallen short, but this time, Nehemiah doesn't chastise them.  No. He says, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared.  This day is sacred to our LORD.  Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."  (Neh 8:10)

That's the kind of leader I want.  I want someone who is so passionate after God they can show me the truth and though it might cause me pain, they will yet encourage me when I need it, chastise me when I need it and continue to push me to do what is right in the eyes of the LORD.  Perhaps the leader of our country doesn't fit this profile, perhaps neither does the leader of my church, but I know many who do and who are leaders in my life, in my church, in this country.  I have Ezras and I have Nehemiahs.  Those two were contemporaries of one another, so it's good that I can see and have both who exhibit the qualities of these people after God's own heart.  Thank you Scott and Maxie and Kelly and Rob and Karyn for following God's heart as you encourage us to move forward as well.  Thank you to all of you who follow God's call and push us to as well.