Nehemiah Chapter 1

Nehemiah is not only a character in the old testament he is also the writer of the book that bears his name.    The book begins with Nehemiah still serving King Artaxerxes as a cupbearer after a period of captivity for Israel.  The cupbearer would guard against poison in the king’s cup.  He was sometimes expected to swallow some of the wine before serving it to ensure that it was safe for the king to drink.  Nehemiah is in the Shushan Palace when some men from Judah came.  Nehemiah took this opportunity to ask about the Jews that had escaped the captivity.  The men informed him that the people who had escaped and returned were living in “great distress and reproach”.  Then almost as if it were an afterthought they added “The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”  It is not clear from the text how emotional these men were when they delivered the news but it is very clear that Nehemiah became emotional.  He sat down and wept.  Then he fasted and prayed for days.  Now I see some interesting things in this part of the story.  First of all it strikes me that the people who were living in great distress and reproach were either okay with it, didn’t know what to do about it, or were scared to do anything about it.  These people were in the place to be able to make a change.  They lived in the place.  They were familiar with it.  They looked at the walls every day.  They felt the distress all of the time.  That is a lot like many of us.  We live in discomfort and turmoil.  We struggle day to day.  The mess surrounds us all of the time.  Yet we continue to do nothing to change it.  Then you have Nehemiah.  Nehemiah was a cupbearer.  He was serving at the pleasure of the king.  He was in Persia not Israel.  He was not free to go where he wanted when he wanted.  He was not a mason or a carpenter.  Unlike the people who were in the city Nehemiah felt an urgency and passion to rebuild the wall and reclaim some peace of mind and he took action.  He was in the wrong place but he felt the call.  He had the wrong skill set but he felt the call.  He didn’t have the freedom but he felt the call.  So Nehemiah prayed and began to plan.    All of us, at one time or another, feel a call or pull to do something.  Maybe it is something that you are not qualified for.  Maybe it is something that you are in the wrong place for.  Whatever it may be you know it.  Nehemiah fasted and prayed for days about this.  He planned for months.  It wasn’t just some fleeting thought.  Whatever that thing is that you feel called to do if you can do nothing else pray and plan.