Monday, 30 January 2017

Devotions for 30th Jan 2017



Nehemiah 2: 17  #daily devotions #bible studies # word of God


Come. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.

There is a wise saying that we can never go back to the past, every one of us would have looked back and reflected on the mistakes that we have made, the opportunities that we had missed and a multitude of regrets for not doing what we should have done.

When Nehemiah asked and got permission from King Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall, he arrived in the night but did not show himself to the city leaders or the priests. He went immediately to examine the conditions of the wall around the city that had been destroyed decades ago. Jerusalem lay in ruins, the buildings were destroyed, and the city gates burned down and the wall were in total ruins.

Nehemiah did not feel sorrowful about the conditions of the city that he saw, he did not linger on regrets and disappointments but he came back with a plan and purpose which was to rebuild the city and the wall. He was a man with a calling and a mission, he knew what he was called to do by god and he knew what to do and how to do it.  We read that he went back to King Artaxerxes and asked for resources of money and building materials and was granted both.

Nehemiah rallied the people and collected the materials and went back to start work immediately even in the face of threats from enemies. He was fully focused on his task and he wanted it to complete as soon as possible.
What we learn here is that once when God’s timing is right, then God will initiate and release His favour upon us and whatever that He calls us to do, He will surely supply the resources and man power to bring it to pass. The task may be challenging in the eyes of man but God will help us to overcome all the threats and obstacles and He will see it through.

We must remember His promise to us in 1 Thess 5: 24 The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it. This was the scripture given to us a long time ago and we had stood on this promise over the years and have seen the Lord’s hand over all our projects and purposes as we walked in obedience to do His work. We have overcome all challenges and mountains of hindrances. Sometimes it was easy but at other times it was not so easy.
Some of the challenges tested our faith for many years before we were able to complete it but our God is faithful and He saw us through.

Nehemiah was also one of the biblical leaders who experienced God’s calling and favour, he said let us look forward and rebuild the wall so that we will no longer live in disgrace. When Israel was defeated and taken into captivity for 70 years, Jerusalem lay in ruins for the same 70 longs years and Israel was in shame in the eyes of her enemies. But God did not want that to continue after the period of punishment was fulfilled.

God did a new work through Nehemiah and restored the glory of Israel and Jerusalem after that.

Today, some of us are also experiencing failure but let us not lose heart, God is still restoring His people in His own time. Look at Israel today, it has been restored to its former glory and Israel is strong and prosperous again.

If we want to be restored in our life and ministry, all we need to do is to call out to Him.

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