They said to me, “The remnant in the province, who survived the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been broken down, and its gates have been burned.” When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of the heavens. (1:3-4)… Then the king asked me, “What is your request?” So I prayed to the God of the heavens and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah and to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I may rebuild it.” (2:4-5)
One person with the right vision from the Lord truly can make a difference in this world. Sometimes we think that we are just one and that we can’t change things. We look at the political situation around us, the economic situation, the pandemic crisis, and so many other things and become overwhelmed. We think, “What can I do to change anything?” Well, my answer is that you can do a lot if your vision is from God and He is at work in your life. No matter how big the world gets, how helpless you might feel, and how hopeless things become—one person is enough when God is at work in and through them.
Consider the first four chapters of Nehemiah. We find a single man in a position to speak directly to the King. Of course, this worked to his advantage, but it was God who put Nehemiah in that position. Yet, we see Nehemiah learning about the situation in Jerusalem and he DOES NOT run straight to the king. Instead, he mourns, fasts, and prays before God for several days. This fasting and prayer prepare Nehemiah for his task and births in him a vision to see change happen. Then, even when asked by the king what the problem was, notice that he prays in his heart first before answering the king. Nehemiah’s vision and desire were driven by God and it was God who was orchestrating the circumstances for Nehemiah to return and rebuild the city of God.
The challenges do not end once he gets the permission of the king. No, the entire story is a story of one man depending wholeheartedly upon God, and facing continual trials and opposition which God gives him wisdom and grace to overcome. It is a story of diplomacy, wisdom, faith, and courage. At one point Nehemiah’s people are standing on the wall with a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other; simultaneously defending and building the wall. What is God calling you to defend and what is He calling you to build? Don’t be afraid to dream God-sized dreams. God uses ordinary people who are totally submissive and devoted to Him to do things that change the world. There is still room for you to join the ranks of those who are building the Kingdom and defending the faith.
