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“My family, my ancestors, my roots, all lie in ruins, and I want to rebuild,” Nehemiah tells the king.
“How long will the work take? When will you leave, and when will you return?” the king queries.
The book of Nehemiah tells a compelling story of ruins and rebuilding, which makes it one of my favorite books in the Bible. Because daily life on this side of heaven is a continuous loop of ruins and rebuilding, there is much to learn from the book of Nehemiah. When asked for a leave of absence to help rebuild, the king asks the same question we often ask, “How long will the work take?” Part of walking with God and engaging in the work He has put before us is grappling with this question. More often than not, doing the work of God does not come with a clear-cut timetable of how long the work will take. Details remain hidden until just the right time. We see the full scope of our work once the job is complete. God delights in giving moment-by-moment grace, equipping us with what we need when needed. Never early, and never late, but always right on time.
It is helpful to remember that God gives us the exact grace needed for our situation. We have just what we need when we need it, in the right measure. Remembering this truth is vital when we are rebuilding the ruins before us.
Has the love of self and the poison of pride left your walls lying in rubble? Are the gates of your life burned by the enemy, leaving you vulnerable to attack? I think about the Jewish remnant in Nehemiah who have survived the exile. They have returned to their homeland, surrounded by trouble and disgrace. When they stood among the devastation, did they know that help was coming? Did they remember the trustworthiness of God, who had been faithful to them? Or was their focus solely on the devastation that lay at their feet, the upheaval that surrounded them as far as the eye could see? Overwhelming need lies all around, and uncertainty about what to do weighs heavy. Behind the scenes of this hopeless scenario, God is working. He is moving. He is providing resources, and help is on the way. The Israelites don’t know it; all they know is the devastation they see lying before them. In the background, unseen, a praying man of God is gathering resources and heading their way. Help is on the way! Amid hopeless ruin, help is on the way!
The city had been desolate for so long that ruinous rubble was the new norm. I don’t know if the people knew things could be different. I’m not sure they considered restoration even an option. And then Nehemiah shows up on the scene, saying words no one dared to dream.
“Let us start rebuilding. So they began the good work.” Nehemiah 2:18b
The following chapters unfold a beautiful retelling of everyone working side-by-side on the section of the wall in front of them. Everyone! Everyone chipped away at the work in front of them. And in this way, the wall is rebuilt. Oh, the rich treasure of this mental picture! Part of God’s always-on-time grace is that He works in the background of our circumstances, providing the resources needed to rebuild. He expects you and I to do the work in front of us. Can we do that? Let’s look up and get busy with the work before us today..
What is the one thing needed today? Doing the one thing before you is enough. The one thing before you is good, holy work. I can’t tell you how long the work will take, but I can tell you that engaging in the work before you is enough, and it will be restored and accomplish God’s good work in His timing, so don’t despair. Don’t give up. Look up and and begin the work.
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