Written by Jim Bill McInteer, this appeared in the March 20, 1986 edition of the Gospel Advocate.
A part of Nehemiah's spirit still lives. It will be a good day when the second phase is duplicated.
Nehemiah and 20th century Christians share a similar emotion - sadness. For Nehemiah, the wall of Jerusalem were broken down; for today's saints the lost are not being reached as readily as Christians wish it could be. Pulpit and pew are joining in a kindred prayer; "Help the church to grow." Every time a penitent sinner confesses his faith in Jesus and is baptized into Christ, the church grows. It isn't happening fast enough. The observers, as the king of old, ask, "Why is thy countenance sad?" Disappointed, for some selfish reason? No, sir, it's "for others, dear King." The church, as did Nehemiah, has first the Lord's cause, then the Lord's people in mind and the personal consideration is last.
but in his anxiety, Nehemiah got a green light! Surely the church today faces no dead end street. Rather, it's on the ramp that leads to the freeway of no obstruction. But she has to move. One can get run over just sitting still on a street of safety.
Nehemiah did something that today's leaders would do well to imitate. He went to Jerusalem with (1) a plan to rebuild the wall, (2) the authority to do it and commandeer resources, and (3) the strength of heart to execute the plan.
One thing stands out however, in bold relief that today is not duplicated. As the silent silhouette in a Judean moonlight, Nehemiah quickly moved to his purpose. The very night of his arrival in Jerusalem he went on an unheralded inspection tour. For him the matter was urgent.
That's the spirit that must be recaptured. This is the spirit that is agonizingly absent today.
Elders have questions placed before them. They appoint committees, they put it on next month's agenda, they need time to get together and by the time that's done the opportunity is gone. The devil has brought the "let's wait and be sure" hoax to elders' meetings and it's become the "no decision," "no letter answered," "no request acknowledged" patented procedure. It's paralyzing in effect.
Preachers can make that call next week as well as this one. That visitor will come again next month; why go see him this month. The letter of encouragement, the voiced gratitude can later be expressed. Nehemiah went that night; the preacher hasn't gone yet - "but I plan to."
The student's been absent three Sundays from class. It's football, holidays, sickness, company. "He'll be back" says the teacher of his class. But he won't be back. He's gone, he's running the wrong way but no teacher has a "night of Nehemiah" to go get him.
It's the old story, "I'm so busy." No one accuses the others of laziness but have we lost our sense of urgency? Is time no longer a precious commodity? Is it true that tomorrow is as good as today? Nehemiah rebuilt the wall. It was a consuming, compelling, driving desire. By God's help, he did it. He got started the night he came night to Jerusalem.
Maybe we haven't the luxury of delay we think we do. Tonight? Go out tonight? It produced desired results. Hear it: "Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, 'Let us rise up and build.' So they strengthened their hands for this good work" (Nehemiah 2:18).
If it's God work, it's work, it's worth not only carefulness but urgency in so doing.
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