Encouraged by Redemptive Usefulness

Nehemiah 1:2-7, 10-11; 2:4-8, 17-18
Related Sunday School Lesson, Family Bible Series, July 18

I talked to a friend of mine last week who lives in Mississippi. He and I discussed local politics, mutual friends, and various churches across the magnolia state. As a native Mississippian, I was curious about what was going on there since I left last year.

In the same way, Nehemiah asked his brother Hanani what was going on back in Jerusalem. He wanted to know how the Jewish exiles were getting along in his native city. The news was depressing. Hanani reported that the remnant was in great trouble and disgrace; the great wall around the city was in ruins; and the future of the nation of Israel was precarious at best.

When Nehemiah heard these words, he went into a state of depression. His concern for his countrymen caused him to mourn, fast, and pray for their welfare.

What are some other ways Nehemiah could have responded to the news from his brother? Instead of crying over their plight, he could have been condemning. He could have said they deserved to be in such a circumstance. He could have been callous and said he didn’t care about their situation. Also, as a man of some repute in Susa, he could have remained in his comfort zone and ignored their need for a leader. If Nehemiah had been as loyal as a cat he would have done one or more of the above with no remorse for his decision.

But of course he didn’t do any of those things. He immediately began to confess his sins and the sins of his people; he requested God’s mercy and reviewed God’s plan for His people. During his time of prayer, he sensed a confirmation from God that he needed to go to Jerusalem and help them rebuild the wall of protection around their city. A task he completed in 52 days.

How do you respond to needs? What is your first thought when someone says, “We need help in the nursery”? Or when the nominating committee selects you to teach a Bible Study class? Are you callous to the need? Do you say, “Let them get someone else.” Are you so entrenched in your comfort zone that you don’t dare take a risk? Thank goodness Nehemiah was open to the will of God and available to carry out His plan. Though he wasn’t a member of Mensa, he was still intelligent enough to know that someone had to step up and help the discouraged Israelites.

There are several reasons why Nehemiah was willing to take on the task of rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. The first was his character. Because Nehemiah was a man of character, he was unwilling to ignore the needs of his people. He realized that God had placed him in Susa to do more than taste wine for the king. He, like Esther, was there for such a time as this. It takes a man or woman of character to seize the opportunities that God places in their path and not bury their head in the sand.

Nehemiah was also a man of concern. He was interested in hearing about events back home because he was more than curious. In other words, he wasn’t just being “nosey.” My family has a term for “nosey” people; we call them “interrogators.” They ask personal questions and inquire about things that are not their “business” as my grandmother would say. This was not Nehemiah’s heart, he wasn’t being a “nosey” interrogator, but a concerned brother. He was sincerely concerned about the remnant that returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile.

Nehemiah’s compassion also prompted him to get involved in meeting the needs of his people. His mourning, fasting, and weeping indicated he was a man with a heart for people. Only the hard-hearted are able to ignore the broken-hearted and it’s the tender-hearted that always reveal their compassionate side during times of need.

Another reason I believe Nehemiah took on the construction project at Jerusalem was because he was a man with connections. I don’t mean denominational connections, I mean divine connections. He believed that going back to his native city was the will of God for his life. The various prayers scattered throughout his book (twelve) reveal a man that was totally dependent upon God for his success. I love his words in chapter two, “The God of heaven will give us success” (vs. 20). Any man with that kind of God-confidence is a man with heavenly connections and calloused knees!

Finally, Nehemiah was a man of conscience. I picture him asking himself, “If not me then who?” His conscience, along with his character, would not let him ignore the need for a project engineer in Jerusalem.

There are many projects in need of volunteers today in the family of faith. Workers are needed to serve, teach, provide leadership, etc., but few are stepping up to take on the task. They believe they are unqualified, useless, and not needed.

Like Nehemiah, God will provide you with the help you need to carry out His task. Are you willing to be used? If so, then start asking around your church or ministry what needs to be done. The person you ask is your Hanani, and you are a contemporary Nehemiah. Don’t ask out of a spirit of curiosity, but out of a spirit of concern. God is looking for workers, are you willing to be used?