Komstad Evangelical Covenant
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Bold Words I don't keep a Persian calendar nearby at all times, so without googling the term or leafing through a complicated commentary, I'm stuck not knowing what Nisan is. But even a casual reading might recall that chapter one took place in the month of Kislev. There's another old word, added for some reason because the writer of Nehemiah thought it would be important. And it is. It tells me that Nehemiah's prayer has crossed the calendar into a new month. The book of Nehemiah begins with a sadness within one man's heart. Nehemiah was a servant who lived far away from the dangerous world of the people of Jerusalem. But he allowed their needs to touch his life, and it drove him to prayer. For weeks. He prayed for weeks. Maybe months. This guy cared. But the book doesn't end there. Otherwise it would be the story of a great sadness, and nothing more. Nehemiah was a builder. He was a problem-solver. And to solve that problem, he must do more than pray. He must allow his prayers to shape him for action. Dangerous actions. A Danger from His Friends The first step would be to talk about the problem ... to people who might not care as deeply. Nehemiah is the servant of a powerful king, and kings are not easily affected by the plight of one servant. Kings can always find new servants and did so quite frequently. It may be difficult in our day to understand that Nehemiah could die if he displeases his boss in even the slightest way. So as he prepares to state his case, he risks everything he has. Give him credit for doing his homework. He has prayed. For weeks. And the resulting conversation in the royal chambers seems to proceed as if God is directing it. The subject arises without Nehemiah's help. And when he reveals his problem ... and his request to the king ... he finds that God has prepared the heart of the ruler. The permission has already been granted, it would seem, before Nehemiah asked. Protection was arranged, resources, and encouragement. And all without the danger that could have struck swiftly and terribly. Most of us will never serve in a royal court. But our work and our relationships can harbor a danger of its own. Even friends can avoid the subject of faith. Coworkers run from the mention of church. Football is a much easier subject to share in public. But for the person who is willing to take the risk, questions about faith seem to come up without trying. The principle comes straight from Nehemiah's experience. God is working in and among people, all around us, every day. They can't escape the problems that dog their lives, and they want answers. So they ask. Scripture cautions us to be ready to give an answer. Not an explanation. Not a sermon. Just an answer. Families are being torn apart every day, and people want to know if there is another way. People struggle with addictions and mistakes and frailties and horrible flaws. And they want to know if there is a way out. They want healing from their guilt. They want safety from their fears. And so they ask. Caring about them is a great start. But if you are going to help, there is a next step. You have to act. You have to say something. Not much. But something. A Danger from Good Friends Risk seems to accompany any act of leadership or any word in public, no matter how safe the environment. You might think that church would be a safe place, but there are dangers even there for those with ambition. I have seen a particular cycle in a number of different churches. There is a need, and someone rises to provide the solution. They pray, and they speak up, and they act for change. It could be a redecorated room, a new curriculum for children, a choir, or a change in the way the grass is cut. And along the way, people open doors for them. Things happen. Until the work is done. Then the comments begin. Why did they cut the grass so short? Why did they cut the grass so long? What kind of music was that? Even well-meaning comments can be deadly. They cut at the heart of a worker or a leader. They chop down the Nehemiah who cared enough to do something when no one else would. They leave some of the best workers unwilling to step again into the challenge. And these are our friends. These are the people who share the same passion for worship and service, to win people to Christ, to change their community in the power of God. Any time a person feels a call to action, they ought to know that the dangers lurk out there. But the way God works in the book of Nehemiah is the way he works today. Begin with prayer. For the larger challenges, linger in prayer. For weeks. Continue in prayer. Even as the challenge unfolds, talk to God. Not because there is a quota of time spent in prayer that must be fulfilled. But because God will build the city. God will shape the church. God will touch the hearts of children with his Holy Spirit, and the same is true of your school or your city. A Danger from His Enemies We can toss in another potential danger for Nehemiah. His enemies. They appear even as he finds success in the king's presence. Not everyone wants the best for Jerusalem. The political opponents gather to contest the work before it begins. There are rumblings here, in the early part of the book. They will deepen later, but that is for another day. The answer will be the same, though. Nehemiah is actually building his strength for each new challenge. The first is easy, compared the next. And all the answers come from the same place, from the hand of God. Best that Nehemiah would start with prayer. For no matter what Nehemiah will face ... God will build the city. |
Open
my eyes so that I might see great and
wonderful things in your word.
Psalm 119:18
Psalm 119:18
Beresford,
South Dakota
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