Rebuilding

So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. (Nehemiah 6:15-16 ESV).

The newest update to the Brookings-Financial Times Tracking Indexes for the Global Economic Recovery (TIGER) shows that, with the coronavirus pandemic, the world is now facing the most serious challenge since World War II ended. The update notes that the world is now seeing shortages in economic activity, financial markets and private sector confidence as the virus has attacked public health and economic stability. And, the update says, the worst is likely still to come. Had there been a similar index in Israel at the time of Nehemiah, the reports might have been just as dire. This story takes place around 445 B.C. Nehemiah, like many other Jewish people, had remained in Persia after a group of exiles were allowed to return and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple there. Though the temple was now rebuilt, the walls of the city were still in ruins. Learning about this from visitors, Nehemiah despaired. As a cupbearer for the king of Persia, his life was good, but his people in Judah were struggling. God’s people in the land of promise were vulnerable on all sides. When the king asked Nehemiah why he looked so sad, Nehemiah explained. And, after praying to God, Nehemiah asked the king for permission to return so that he could rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. In response, the king sent Nehemiah with ¬authority and supplies to renovate the city. Despite great obstacles and local opposition, Nehemiah led the people to repair Jerusalem’s wall and rebuild its gates. In fact, the work was complete in just fifty-two days! Recognizing the amazing help of God in this feat, the surrounding nations stopped threatening Jerusalem. With all of our task forces and economic predictors and prognosticators, the truth is that only the Lord in enough to rebuild our walls. Whether the financial challenges are more individual and localized for you or not, the solution begins in your relationship to the Lord. Is he not the one who owns the cattle on a thousand hills? Does he not know our every need? Will he refuse his children of any good thing? Of course not! We too can have hope today amid the wreckage of human failings, when we finally realize we cannot save ourselves. Into the ruins of life, Jesus has been born. The Lord our God is our help and strength always.