Text: Nehemiah 5
What we see in Nehemiah chapter five is that even though God’s people were endeavoring to do this massive work, life was still going on and everyday struggles amassed around them. When the farmers were rebuilding a wall, what would become of their crops? In a city that stood defenseless and sad at the beginning of this story – should we expect all the other affairs to be in order? Taxes were a mess, people were lending out their children as slaves, and their government was corrupt.
Nehemiah gets angry and he sets things right. He sets order among the people and the government, and he sets order among the people and the people. And for this, they make him governor. We see a sweet picture of him as a loving and sacrificial leader and that is a wonderful picture for us to look at and learn from. But more than that, this is a sweet little aside in a story of a people trying so hard to do something large for the Lord. They needed to take care of business and do a little self-care to keep the mission going. If you’re in the midst of a God-sized project, on mission from Him – rely on His miraculous grace, but also – ask for wisdom and help to have your orders in affair so you can keep on building, for God’s glory.
Incredible this specific guideline is certainly impressive it truly helped me and my children, many thanks!
http://www.edsheeran.co.uk
This has always been a concern of mine in the Church whether we as Christians conduct ourselves fairly in business practices. Yes, with our brothers and sisters in Christ but more so with those who are not because they are watching.
Jesus told His disciples, they will know we are Christians by the love we have towards one another.
I consulted with myself…(Nehemiah 5:7 NASB). This verse caught my eye because we have been talking about unity, and not flying solo. There are sometimes in this Spiritual Walk that we must FIRST examine ourselves. We cannot lead where we have not been. Judgement and correction begins in and with the Body of Christ (the Church). Amen!
How easy it is to let hardship and conflict raise questions about the truly Divine nature of our callings. I used to have this sense that if God willed it, it would be easy and He would open doors and smooth paths. In reality, perhaps the truer sign of a Divinely willed act is, in fact, opposition. We're never promised that the work to which we are called would be easy, only that with His help, it would get done.
May this reminder uplift any of us today who are facing opposition. God may not make the work easy, but he makes sure it gets done. How comforting.
What a great insight Hannah…You are so right! We are not promised a pathway of roses! We are just promised He will be there to help us make sure that it would be accomplished. What an encouragement for something I personally am facing today. I thank you.
My heart goes out to those in oklahoma.our lives can be changed in an instance.praying that the Lord encourages those in Oklahoma right now. Anything can happen where our lives will not be the same. Sisters let’s keep our minds focus on our fathers business so we can build each other up together and come together to continue to intercede for those who have yet to come to know you. Amen
"Life goes on in the midst of rebuilding" MOORE, OK and other areas hit by these tornadoes! What a great example Nehemiah is for us and what a perfect title for the current situation in OK and TX and our world at large but also in our own immediate lives! Much rebuilding to be done ALL for God's glory, let's pick up a "brick" and "Building with One Hand and Bracing with the Other"! This is REAL life now and it's time for us to be Nehemiah's in our commUNITY and/through churches and us!
Thanks SRT team, really great titles and applicable lessons to our own lives! I so love these devotionals SRT team! Excellent job and wonderful comments/replies!
I loved this devotional today. If not for the comments and the wonderful insights, however, I wouldn't have really got the true message of this chapter. Injustice then is so eerily similar to injustice today. Nehemiah cries out for the injustice, slavery, and poverty of his people…all things much alive in today's world. I have a sympathetic heart for social injustice and my heart has been heavy over the last few months as I open my eyes to the injustice in the world and start to unravel God's plan for my life. My husband and I have been blessed with amazing lives and an abundance of "goods." We both want to make sure we give and follow our church's motto "live simply so that others can simply live." I keep putting it off and thinking that we are doing enough but Nehemiah reminded me today that it is never enough when injustice continues. I can give more, do more, and serve more. I pray for strength and guidance as I find ways to do that! Thank you SRT and all of you ladies for the wonderful insights and helping to break down Nehemiah today!
What a wonderful motto!!! and such a good addition to the great insights! Your heart is beautiful and so are your words! have a blessed day! Thanks Allison for sharing this!
I love that!
Beautiful thought
Hey, Exhausting couple of days..husband hospitalized, but better. Trying to keep up with Nehemiah and SRT community.
So glad to have this group.
Today's scripture reminded me how easy it is to start doing things that are detrimental to self and others and not even realize the extent of damage that is being done. Nehemiah clearly examined what was going on and his response was anger, but he did not act only on that anger, He thought it over, He prayed and he spoke out against the sin. Clearly God had established him as a leader and the people saw that and they recognized their sin. Then as an elected official, he demonstrated his integrity by living sacrificially.
Keeping you Carolynmimi and your husband in my prayers also still for rest, strength being restored, healing, thanking Him for a bit better and every moment that he recovers more… you take care of yourself and him first. We will be here for you. Good insight! :0) Many blessings, peggy
Take it easy Carolyn so you don't get down too! Praying for both of you! ♥
Thanks for the prayers. Just got him home.
May God strengthen you as he heals your husband.
"Yet I refused to claim the governor’s food allowance because the people already carried a heavy burden." Nehemiah 5:18 (NLT)
Part of my job while I was on staff in the music department of a church was to arrange the flight, accommodation, transportation and meals for the christian concerts we brought in. I loved that part of my job! I got to glean from so many amazing musicians at that time. Many of them required the church to sign a legal contract called a Rider with a list of technical needs for them to be able to perform their best. It was usually a list of certain sound, or lighting equipment or sometimes a particular instrument rental that was too difficult for the band to bring themselves.
Sometimes, another kind of Rider was signed with a list of certain "hospitality" needs to attend to. This could look like individual dietary needs or even the sort of designated dressing area needed to fully relax before and after the show. Every now and then, not often, the requests seemed a bit…much.
I won't divulge the details, but if you are curious you could simply google the word Concert Rider and read what some secular names require and you'll get the picture. Perhaps things have changed over the years. It's been a little over 10 years since I helped host a concert. I have to be careful to step with grace here and not be unfair. God knows their hearts.
I was reminded of one particular artist that came to us as I read about Nehemiah this morning. This man was a big name with the humblest of requests. He performed multiple times over the years and knew all the inexpensive Canadian places to eat. And he did it joyfully…with a lot of belly laughs. He could have gone to the finest restaurants. Our church could afford it. In fact, we always lined up his schedule with lovely places to eat while he was with us, but he refused every time. He spent time with our music department staff and did songwriting workshops when he could have just stayed in his hotel room.
Like Nehemiah, this man had a servant's heart. He earned the respect from all that were around him. He was paid what he was worth for his time and his skill, he made sure he was not a burden to those he served. It made us want to bless him even more for how considerate he was.
While I see many life applications to today's reading–like, living out a balanced home life and standing up for social injustice in the world–I can't help but admire Nehemiah's wisdom and good stewardship as he served his people in leadership. It makes me want to be a better servant no matter where I am posted.
Blessings sisters.
Oh June Bug as a pastor's wife I have seen that same thing many, many times over the years myself. And thankfully I have seen the flip side as well. It is always a blessing to see there are those with a Nehemiah spirit of good stewardship and respect for the work of God and the people of God and the way the money is spent. I always admire a servant's heart especially in those that are in ministry. My own pastor's wife always taught me I was never too good to clean the commodes! And I always tried to do my part in the church regardless of position and tried to teach younger ladies the same.I've seen so many that did not feel that way. And many that felt like you were there to "bless them"! These things ought not to be! God help us to be humble like Nehemiah!