"Rebuilding the City of Our Fathers" (Part 4)

I also said to him, "If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?" And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests. (Nehemiah 2:7-8 NIV).

I hope you are following this series. However, if you are just joining Morning Devotionals you may find the other issues on the web at www.gracerestoration.org. Today we come to the last principles which are revealed in Nehemiah’s exchange with King Artaxerxes. There are two important things in our reading today. First note that Nehemiah knew what he needed to get the job done. Often we talk in terms that keep people from seeking knowledge. We act as if faith alone is enough. Faith is essential, but knowledge with faith is most powerful. In the case of restoring grace and rebuilding the walls for our families and churches this is precisely the reason I have committed my time and energy to answer a specific call of God in the establishment of Grace Restoration Ministries. I have sensed God’s call to work with families and churches in a unique ministry of life coaching and counseling for some time. You’ll hear more about that soon, but the point is each of us has been prepared for a task and must learn from others in the rebuilding of the walls. There is no weakness or disgrace in seeking the wisdom and help of others. In fact, we are told to do so (cf. James 1:2-5).

Second, note that Nehemiah understood the basis of his hope. Never lose your sense of hope. As bad as it may seem, there is always hope because of the God we serve. Do you remember Charles Shultz’s book “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”? On Halloween night, the Peanuts gang goes trick-or-treating and to a party, but Linus refuses. Instead, he persuades Charlie Brown’s little sister, Sally, to sit with him in a pumpkin patch to await the Great Pumpkin. Linus announces that if you “sincerely” believe in the Great Pumpkin and wait for him in a “sincere” pumpkin patch, he would arrive bearing gifts. “He’ll come here because I have the most sincere pumpkin patch and he respects sincerity,” Linus muses. Charlie Brown tells Sally that the Great Pumpkin doesn’t exist, but she joins Linus anyhow. What beckons her, however, is not so much her belief in the Great Pumpkin as her crush on Linus.

The basis of our hope is somewhat the same. Through the grace of God in Christ Jesus we have been given a restoration relationship and standing with Him. Because He has loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die on our behalf and in our stead, we can KNOW hope. Let’s each take back our family, church, community, and nation. Let’s rebuild the walls and fight for our family!