DEVOTION – DAY 390

Nehemiah 2:17-18 “Rebuilding For God”

Nehemiah 2:17-18 “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.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So, they began this good work.”

Nehemiah had returned from exile to Jerusalem. He was dismayed to find the city walls and gates in ruins. The leaders and its people were used to it but Nehemiah had other ideas. He testified that God is alive and active. God had sent him. He has also come with royal sanction and authority from the King of Babylon. He was going to oversee the rebuilding of the walls and gates with the people’s help. The people wasted no time in responding to the call. In Neh.3:1, we are told that the priests set an example by starting work repairing the Sheep gate, the gate where sacrificial animals passed through to be sacrificed in the Temple. They also rebuilt the wall all the way to the Tower of Hananel. This was the section of the wall closest to the Temple.

Why was the response swift? It was because The Temple was the symbolic place where God’s presence dwelt amongst His people. Jerusalem was His chosen city and the Jews were His chosen people. God used Nehemiah to remind the Jews that their complacency reflected their own spiritual condition. They had lost their fervor for God. The rebuilding of the wall was instrumental in bringing about a spiritual revival amongst the people.

Today, what is the symbolic place where God’s presence is found? Many would say it is the Church. We know that the Church is more than just a collection of buildings. It is the people that makes up the Church that is where God’s presence can be found. We know of churches where the congregation is aging and the people have lost their religious fervor. We know of churches who have become inward looking, becoming too comfortable and only wanting to attract people who came from their same social class or similar age group. Such churches ought to learn from Nehemiah’s call that it is time to start rebuilding their congregations. It is time to start reaching out to their communities, and be active in creative ways to share the gospel to the next generation.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, please help us to rediscover our first love for you. Help us to be excited and spiritually recharged so that every local church will have a spiritual revival to rebuild and grow their congregations so that more people can have a personal relationship with you through your Son, the Lord Jesus. We humbly ask this in the wonderful name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Questions

1. What is your own spiritual condition today? Is it on fire for the Lord or have your spiritual fervor gone cold? If it is cold, how can you be spiritually revived?
2. Are you in a ministry that needs to be rebuilt? Will you start rebuilding it?
3. Will you start active Bible Study? Will you be diligent in having your daily quiet time with God? Will you start serving in church to help expand its ministries?
4. Do you know someone who has also gone spiritually cold? Will you help to pray for that person and draw him or her back to church?