Do your part

In reading Nehemiah, the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes had recently heard from his brethren about the state of Jerusalem and mourned for days upon hearing the news. As the King’s cupbearer, Nehemiah was responsible for tasting the King’s food and drinks before the King would consume. Such a task allowed the King close proximity to Nehemiah, so the King asked him why he had “sorrow of heart.”  As Nehemiah explains the poor state of Jerusalem and those who had escaped captivity, the King asks what he needs and after prayer Nehemiah asks the King to send him to rebuild the Holy City.

Upon Nehemiah’s request, the King sent horseman for protection and letters for any authorities they may encounter. Only GOD would have the King of Babylon support Nehemiah in rebuilding the very city King Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed 150 years earlier. Although Nehemiah’s heart was heavy for Jerusalem, this did not mean he had the ability to lead such an effort and he had not actually seen how bad it had gotten in the Holy City. Yet Nehemiah knew his GOD would provide and he only needed to go to Jerusalem.

As Nehemiah arrives in the city at night, he sees such destruction of the gates and the walls. Jerusalem is without defense and Nehemiah gathers the people to inspire them to rebuild. Of course Nehemiah is not the inspiration, as it is GOD who inspires them through Nehemiah’s words. As a man, Nehemiah had to be looking at the impossible. Not only were the many gates of the city charred and destroyed, but the very walls were broken down on all sides of the city. For this time period, the work would take hundreds of men and several years to complete, not to mention the costs of material and the skill sets needed to complete such a monumental project. But Nehemiah did not gather the skilled laborers and order the material needed. Instead, he simply told the citizens of Jerusalem to rise up and build.

In Nehemiah 3, we read how the people responded to the call by taking different sections and doing their part. These sections were not large or any more significant than the rest, yet each section made up the total defense of the city. I especially love verse 10 when its states “made repairs in front of his house.”  How amazing is our GOD? Here are the remaining people of Jerusalem in distress, remnants of an exiled nation for several years, walking by those same broken down walls, reminded of what the city once was and yet with the call to build, they are walking across the street to that same broken down wall and putting one stone on top of another to build the walls back up.

Folks, it is time to rebuild the church and every one most do our part, step off our porches, walk across the street and start building again. COVID-19 certainly has challenged the sense of church and fellowship. We have been removed from physical contact for several months and then limited with “social distancing” as I am typing.  All of these have been necessary during this pandemic, but are we losing our focus on the things that matter to GOD. Have we allowed this time of separation to separate ourselves from the Lord. It is time to rebuild the body of the believers by each of us doing our part and participating.

Like those people of Jerusalem, we need only focus on one section, a section familiar through proximity and do what is needed to rebuild that section. Understanding your part is up to GOD and only through prayer and the study of HIS WORD, will you truly be a productive part of building HIS Kingdom.

In Nehemiah 3, Eliashib the Priest arose and started rebuilding the Sheep Gate. I believe Pastor Tom and Pastor Eric have done the same in their recent preaching. They have started the rebuilding of Shady Brook and now it is time for us all to do our part. The Revival today is the Spiritual call to build and as we start our Sunday School class next Sunday (October 4th), I am asking you all to commit yourself to prayer and to GOD’S WORDS, in asking GOD to reveal your part. To reveal your small section and give you the Spirit to build HIS Kingdom. In Matthew 9:37, Jesus said “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”  The Lord is near and the time is now! Stop walking by that broken down wall and accepting this state of disarray. The time to act is now.