Nehemiah's Wild Ride Series

Have you ever felt like the walls were crumbling down around you? News so eye opening and devastating that it altered your thinking? Maybe the problem is taking place in a distant land or on the other side of the country and its affecting people you have never met. But for some reason their problem becomes your problem. Their plight takes a hold of your heart and you cannot help but become engrossed in the situation.

I remember watching the second World Trade Center collapse on live T.V. I wanted to get out of my chair and take action. I don’t know what I would have done but I wanted to be there helping in some way.

I remember watching the hurricane wipe out New Orleans. Like you, I watched stupid people do horrible things to one and other and I also watched unlikely heroes emerge from the ruins. My T.V. set brought me live pictures of the destruction all day long. My heart went out to those who were directly affected.

We watch the war in Iraq and the war between Israel and Lebanon and it bothers us. We know the walls are down and what walls to exist are frail and on the verge of collapsing.

Life is full of big potholes and big bumps and big tragedies and big disasters and many of them slip right under our radar and others capture our attention to the point that we can feel the weight. There is no shortage of big problems and hurting people in this world.

Most people simply raise their tolerance when they see big problems. They live with it or they change the channel in search of a brainless show. Some people ignore the problem week after week hoping it will just go away or pray that somebody else will take care of it. You know, someone more qualified or more educated or more gifted or who has more money or power or influence?

Let me ask you this: What walls are lying in ruins around you right now? What collapsed wall tugs at your heart? Does the war in Iraq bother you? Does the education system bother you? Does racism bother you? The homeless? Abortion ? The criminal justice system? Poverty? What is it? What stirs your heart and gets your attention?

There is no shortage of problems in this world but there is a shortage of people who are willing to tackle them. Big problems need God sized solutions.

One of my favorite stories of triumph in the Bible is found in the story of Nehemiah. It’s not a very complicated story. In fact it’s pretty easy to understand and has direct application to our lives. It’s an old school message with modern implications and today I want to expose you to the timeless principles that this book teaches.

Here’s the principle: When the walls come crumbling down around you, go to God, then go to work. Now that doesn’t mean you watch T.V. shout “Oh God” then go to bed and let things continue to crumble. That isn’t it. That’s not the principle. When the walls come crumbling down, go to God, then go to work. That’s the principle. It’s that simple and that complicated. It worked for Nehemiah and it will work for you. Why will it work for you? Because it’s a God principle. It’s universal and timeless. God loves you just as much as he loved Nehemiah and what he did for him, he will do for you.

Nehemiah had no more clout or influence with God than you. So you can go to God and go to work knowing that the same God that helped Nehemiah rebuild the wall will help you rebuild your wall.

Here’s the story. Nehemiah had a problem. The walls in Jerusalem had been torn down and the city had been completely ransacked years ago. The city had lay in ruins for years and now many of the Jews who had roots in Jerusalem were beginning to move back home after a long period of exile. The Jews were moving back because Jerusalem was their religious and cultural center. This is the city that David had lived in. This is the city that their ancestors had occupied. It was a very important place. But somewhere along the way the Jews got lost in their faith and God removed his hand of favor from them and their enemies completely destroyed the city and forced them to disperse.

But now a new generation had come. They began to follow God once again and felt led to go back and rebuild their home. So they were slowly returning with fear and trembling because they had absolutely no protection from their enemies. If a neighboring country wanted to attack them and pillage their goods they would be sitting ducks.