Nehemiah Today

Some might say, "Well, Pastor that was then.  What does Nehemiah have to do with me?"

One of the great strengths of Nehemiah's leadership was his ability to embrace and understand the culture.  He was a Jew working in Persian culture.  He understood how things worked.

Neh 2:5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.”

Nehemiah understood the king.  He says, "If it pleases the king,..."  Nehemiah wasn't going to rebel against his master.  He knew that the key to his future was in securing the king's permission.  

Neh 2:13 I went out by night by the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire.

Nehemiah understood the first problem.  The walls are busted.  He knew that it was going to take a sizable workforce to fix this. 

Neh 2:19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”

He understood that the neighbors were not going to be happy.  He knew that some would resist.  (Chapter 3) Yet he still embraces the God's will and goes for it.  

Wisdom is the ability to correctly apply the understanding one has.  Understanding challenges and problems goes a long way to bringing positive and powerful answers for your life and family.

PRAY:  Dear Jesus, give me the wisdom to understand how things work in my life.  AMEN