This post is Day 12 in a series of studies about “Nehemiah”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Nehemiah – Day 12

This message that Nehemiah was conveying to the priests, nobles and officials seems to be stating the obvious. These leaders had all been looking at the desolation of Jerusalem ever since they arrived back from exile hoping to pick up where their fathers had left off over a generation previously.

Nehemiah 2:17

Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and we will no longer be in disgrace.”

The Thought

This message that Nehemiah was conveying to the priests, the nobles and the officials (v16) seems to be stating the obvious. These leaders had all been looking at the desolation of Jerusalem ever since they arrived back from exile hoping to pick up where their fathers had left off over a generation previously.

Imagine them having travelled 1448km (almost 900 miles) to get back “home”. Most of them had never been there before. And those who had were young when they left. So they were going back to the picture they had in their minds of the land flowing with milk and honey that God had promised their forefathers (Exodus 3:8).

We can imagine that these people (hundreds of them) looked at the desolation, looked at each other and wept. They got depressed as they surveyed the mess. Out of that disappointment Hanani had decided to go and find his brother Nehemiah (see day 1) who thankfully came to the rescue.

Nehemiah looked at the brokenness and saw a challenge. He saw the possibilities and presented his ideas (which were God inspired ideas) to the people.

This servant and wine taster had become a leader, and a manager of a huge building project.

Action

Ask yourself today if you would be one who saw the desolation and got depressed. Or if you would be one like Nehemiah who saw the possibilities and rallied others to help.

Praise God for the “Nehemiahs” of the world. Those who have the gift of seeing the possibilities and bringing improvements in war torn areas and places of devastation.