This guy Nehemiah wasn't regarded very highly in Jewish culture. After all, he was a enuch, meaning he was castrated. To Jews, this meant that he had no prospect of an "inheritance" of future generations, (children). Succeeding, was everything in the Jewish tradition. He was an attendant to the Persian King, the royal cup-bearer. Though, Nehemiah was a faithful and prayerful servant of God.
Think of this for a second. No one ever imagined Nehemiah could be anything but a simple cup holder for a king. His life, thought of as meaningless...pitiful, by most others. What could he possibly accomplish?
The king obviously liked him and thought favorably of him, despite his "disability'. We know this because when Nehemiah heard of the awful condition of Jerusalem, he became deeply saddened. The king took notice of Nehemiah's mourning and asked him the reason behind it. Nehemiah explained his grief to the king and the king granted him permission to go to Jerusalem and appointed him GOVERNOR of Judea! Wow! Right!?!
But that's not all! The story gets better! Nehemiah left his plush, easy-going, unexpecting, uneventful life for an uncertain and desolate place. Remember, he's a "nobody" with "no future"...and everyone knows it, acting as Governor of his homeland, Jerusalem.
He gets there and tells the Jews of all that God has put on his heart to do and of his plans to get it done, and they begin rebuilding the Jerusalem wall from the RUINS & RUBBLE! (Hmmm...) THEN, opposition from other leaders and nations...with schemes to destroy Nehemiah's and the jew;s progress. Nehemiah prayed to God for protection and they DID NOT STOP WORKING! Instead, Nehemiah positioned them with weapons in the exposed places to protect themselves and their families. They continued working AND keeping guard against the opposition! They worked non-stop...TOGETHER! They finished the wall in 52 DAYS! 52 DAYS!!!!
Extraordianary!
Of course, Nehemiah didn't stop there...he helped the poor, faced yet more opposition to the rebuilding of Jerusalem, restored God's laws to the people, encouraged his people and carried out many reforms.
This unlikely suspect...when no one else would, (even though many more "capable" could), was the likely one that God used!
I LOVE IT!
When you see someone that doesn't seem to have the ability to be of "value:...or doesn't appear to have the potential for greatness (to be remembered for his/her good)...just remember Nehemiah's persistent prayer to God, "Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people."...then turn to the BOOK of Nehemiah in the HOLY BIBLE and read of his SUCCEEDING! :)
He's got his own BOOK in the BIBLE! Is God FAITHFUL or what!!!!! :)
Think of this for a second. No one ever imagined Nehemiah could be anything but a simple cup holder for a king. His life, thought of as meaningless...pitiful, by most others. What could he possibly accomplish?
The king obviously liked him and thought favorably of him, despite his "disability'. We know this because when Nehemiah heard of the awful condition of Jerusalem, he became deeply saddened. The king took notice of Nehemiah's mourning and asked him the reason behind it. Nehemiah explained his grief to the king and the king granted him permission to go to Jerusalem and appointed him GOVERNOR of Judea! Wow! Right!?!
But that's not all! The story gets better! Nehemiah left his plush, easy-going, unexpecting, uneventful life for an uncertain and desolate place. Remember, he's a "nobody" with "no future"...and everyone knows it, acting as Governor of his homeland, Jerusalem.
He gets there and tells the Jews of all that God has put on his heart to do and of his plans to get it done, and they begin rebuilding the Jerusalem wall from the RUINS & RUBBLE! (Hmmm...) THEN, opposition from other leaders and nations...with schemes to destroy Nehemiah's and the jew;s progress. Nehemiah prayed to God for protection and they DID NOT STOP WORKING! Instead, Nehemiah positioned them with weapons in the exposed places to protect themselves and their families. They continued working AND keeping guard against the opposition! They worked non-stop...TOGETHER! They finished the wall in 52 DAYS! 52 DAYS!!!!
Extraordianary!
Of course, Nehemiah didn't stop there...he helped the poor, faced yet more opposition to the rebuilding of Jerusalem, restored God's laws to the people, encouraged his people and carried out many reforms.
This unlikely suspect...when no one else would, (even though many more "capable" could), was the likely one that God used!
I LOVE IT!
When you see someone that doesn't seem to have the ability to be of "value:...or doesn't appear to have the potential for greatness (to be remembered for his/her good)...just remember Nehemiah's persistent prayer to God, "Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people."...then turn to the BOOK of Nehemiah in the HOLY BIBLE and read of his SUCCEEDING! :)
He's got his own BOOK in the BIBLE! Is God FAITHFUL or what!!!!! :)
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