And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon…. And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work. Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. (Nehemiah 2:12, 16-17)
If you take a serious look around, it is very clear that there is a lot of work that needs to be done for the Lord. However, too often we spend more time and effort talking about what we are going to do and getting everyone else’s approval than we do for the actual work. Many times, I talk with people that are led by the Holy Spirit to want to serve the Lord, but they hesitate because they are not sure they are allowed to. Likewise, there have been times that I have known pastors who see a need to help people outside the walls of their church, but their congregations do not support it because it might result in people coming to their church that make them uncomfortable.
In one case, there was a need for a specific large-scale ministry that was expressed at a meeting to a church by many people in the community. Several people in the church with expertise in the area committed to serving in the ministry and the church had plenty of available space and property. The church had no debt and plenty of tithes and offerings came in each month that left a large amount of money available to easily cover any expenses. There was even a secret donor who told the pastor in confidence that he would supply any money needed for capital expenses to get the ministry started if they decided to proceed. Because there was wide-spread support for the ministry by the congregation, the pastor started preparing an operational plan of how they would start and operate the ministry. His intention was that he would officially present the plan to the congregation at a meeting to get their public commitment of support before moving ahead to meet this vital community need. Before he was able to present the plan, he discovered that there was a small group of church members who spread false gossip and rumors to those in the community in an effort to stop the creation of the ministry. When it came to public light, the pastor Biblically confronted the people undermining the ministry. Their response was that they did not want the ministry, because it would result in more people coming to their church and they preferred that things would not change and stay just the way they are. They added that if the membership over went over a certain number, they preferred that the church would split instead of change. Sadly, the people in the group were life long members and it was discovered later that they were responsible for many young families leaving the church because they did not want the church to change. Needless to say, the pastor later resigned and went elsewhere where the Lord led him to minister. The group got their way, the church did split, but the adverse effect on the lives of many people is still causing them harm today.
In today’s verses, Nehemiah saw the need to rebuild the ruined walls of Jerusalem. One night, without telling anyone or seeking anyone’s approval, he did a reconnaissance of the ruined walls so that he could get a thorough understanding of what was needed to be done. Once he understood the severity of the need, he decided to communicate the need because he realized that he needed the help of other people. Without fanfare, press releases, or presentation of a grand plan, he explained how the need was causing great distress amongst them. When the people saw the vision that Nehemiah had, they too were burdened in their hearts step outside of their comfort zone to commit to meeting this need. As they proceeded with the work, they encountered many obstacles, but because there was a conviction of the people to resolve this need, the work was eventually completed. As believers, we should never let anyone of any organization hold us back from what God has convicted us that needs done. If your local church does not have the ability to meet the need, but would if they could, then see what other ways the need can be resolved. There may be other organizations or people that are working together as brothers and sisters in Christ to solve the need. If there is no one, then see what small part you can do, even if it is only to meet the need for one person at a time. Finally, and most importantly, pray that God will provide the workers and resources to meet the need.
