Strengthening:
Call to Rise:
Today’s scripture reading starts with a straight-forward, simple concept: Nehemiah chose to be informed. He didn’t stumble upon news of Jerusalem’s plight by happenstance. Furthermore, once he learned of the distress in the city of his fathers, he chose to receive it with an open, empathetic heart. He could have easily acknowledged the travesty of the situation on an intellectual level and then moved on. After all, he was far away and the plight of Jerusalem was not a burden on him personally. Instead, he softened his heart and allowed the compassion and concern of the Father to take root in his soul. He deliberately chose to identify with the distress and derision of his people.
In his commentary on Nehemiah, English preacher and author Alexander MacLaren says it this way: “Nehemiah might have made a great many very good excuses for treating lightly the tidings that his brother had brought him. He might have said: ‘Jerusalem is a long way off. I have my own work to do; it is no part of my business to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. I am the King’s cupbearer. They went with their eyes open, and experience has shown that the people who knew when they were well off, and stayed where they were, were a great deal wiser.’ These were not his excuses. He let the tidings fill his heart, and burn there.”
MacLaren makes a case that we have a duty as Christians to contemplate the affliction of those around us with sympathy and compassion.. He explains that “the first condition of [Christian] sympathy is knowledge; and the second is attending to what we do know.”
Knowing
It’s my opinion that the largest driver of fear is ignorance. When people don’t know, they assume the worst, and dwell on their worst-case-scenario fears. Fear erodes faith. A mentor and boss once taught me, while coaching me through my paralysis over a massive backlog of administrative work, that it’s worth the time to inventory what lies in ruin. After all, he said “you still might not know what to do with the monster, but at least you’ll know what the monster looks like. Then you can make a plan.”
You need to know what the monster looks like. You need to be informed about the motives, movements, alliances and agendas of the people who control our nation’s government and culture. Why? First, because precise prayers are effective (1 John 5:15). Our prayers need to be like the skillful cuts of a surgeon’s scalpel, not the blindly hacking swings of a distracted swordsman, and it’s hard to pull off an operation like that with your eyes closed.
Second, because many of us are ignorant of how our own government works and what our elected officials are enacting on our behalf. A government of, by and for the people requires the people to be engaged for the Republic to work properly. If we remain ignorant, corrupt leaders remain empowered to act without accountability.
And finally, we must be informed of the circumstances of those who are oppressed and hurting in our nation in order to genuinely sympathize with their plight.
Attending to What We Know
Once we become informed,what do we do next? Nehemiah responded by weeping (feelings of grief) and mourning (actively processing the feeling of grief).
Jesus said “blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” You’ll be pleased to know that the word comfort here matches the verb for comfort in 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, which we learned about in last week’s Call to Rise. The active nature of mourning is akin to the active nature of patiently enduring affliction- both result in much strengthening, otherwise known as comfort.
Nehemiah didn’t begin processing his grief (mourning) by marching into the king’s presence and demanding a leave of absence. He didn’t begin by making an action plan for rebuilding the wall. He began by fasting, praying and repenting before the God of Heaven.
Our earnest endeavor to see America rebuilt in righteousness ought to begin in the same way.
Fasting, Praying and Repenting
Nehemiah’s prayer in 1:5-11 is humbling and powerful. As we pray for God to transform America through us, let’s follow Nehemiah’s lead in seeking first the face and favor of Heaven. Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain (Psalm 127:1). Unless obedience to Christ is the foundation of what we build, nothing we build will stand against the forces of hell (Matthew 7:24-27). And unless we humble ourselves, pray and turn from our own wicked ways just as Nehemiah did, we cannot expect to see our land healed (2 Chronicles 7:14).
This is a time to weep and mourn, to fast and pray, and to humbly repent. These actions will open us up to the realization that only a Church strengthened by the Comforter can rebuild America into a nation of righteousness, justice and liberty. We’re not wired to grieve as those who have no hope; instead, like Nehemiah, we’ll allow our hearts to be broken over the things that break God’s heart. This godly sorrow leads to repentance, and then to salvation without regret (2 Corinthians 7:10).
Fellow Americans – the list of things for which we must repent is long. Repentance is not simply feeling sorry for what we’ve done – it also requires making a 180 degree turn away from our sin and going the opposite direction of the way we’ve been heading. God, forgive us for our apathy – help us turn the other way and choose to be engaged in the work of our government. Forgive us for allowing culture to shape our attitudes, habits and beliefs – help us turn the other way and influence the attitude, habits and beliefs of American culture as we abide in You. God – forgive us for neglecting the study of your word and quality time spent with You – help us to turn the other way and be people who invest their time and focus on knowing you; people who make building your Kingdom our highest priority. Forgive us for entertaining ourselves with things that break your heart – help us turn the other way and become people who revere and promote purity. God, forgive us for the bloodshed of innocent babies that stains our land – help us turn the other way and build a godly, caring culture that eliminates the demand for abortions rather than expecting a bureaucrat far away to legislate righteousness.
You may feel that you don’t need to repent for some of these things because you haven’t participated in them. Nehemiah didn’t need to take responsibility to repent for the sins of his brethren hundreds of miles away whose conduct was beyond his control.
And yet, he did.
This is the heart of intercession.
God is looking for someone with a heart like this, someone to stand in the gap between what America is and what she is destined to be.
May our hearts respond eagerly “Here I am, Lord. Send me!”
Prayer:
O Lord, God of Heaven, You are the great and awesome God who keeps covenant with those who love You and keep Your commandments. Please hear my petitions and see my trust in You. I come to You on behalf of America and I confess that we have sinned against You. I have sinned against You. My family has sinned against You. We have allowed good to be called evil and evil to be called good. We have entertained ourselves with things that break Your heart, and allowed ourselves to be so busy that we don’t have time or energy to center our lives around knowing You. Please forgive us, and empower us to turn from twisted ways back toward Your righteous ways. Remember the covenants You made with our forefathers and founders. Remember the promises You gave them. Remember Your intent and plans for America. Remember that You said You would save a city for just one righteous man. I stand now, with an entire remnant of believers who are clothed by grace in the righteousness of Jesus, and I ask that You save America for the sake of Your Name and Your testimony in the earth. Have mercy on us, Almighty God! Soften my heart and allow it to be broken by the things that break Your heart, and to be filled with joy by the things that give You joy, so I can become more like You. Please give me favor as I commit myself to establishing Your Kingdom, first in my own heart, and then in my home, neighborhood and nation. Here I am Lord – send me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Build Assignment:
- Fast, pray and repent.
- Contact all the members of your local School Board.
- Let them know you are praying for them.
- Ask any questions you may have.