“I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days I set out during the night with a few men. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.”
Nehemiah 2:11-12
I went to Jerusalem and after staying an appointed time of 3 days, I myself arose at night with only a few men alongside me. I hadn’t confessed/reported what Elohim, my Creator God, had given my heart to accomplish for Jerusalem. There were no beasts/behemah other than the one I rode.
Last time we looked at how the local leaders felt threatened by Nehemiah’s arrival to rebuild Jerusalem. Today we see our leader at last arriving in the city of his fathers. Interestingly, both he and Ezra took a 3 day rest after their travels to the City of God. And the Hebrew for stayed means appointed. An appointed rest.
Have you ever been grateful for an unexpected break? A rest from weariness to reconnect with your Savior and your soul?
It does not escape me that when the break was over, the Hebrew verb Nehemiah uses is qum – arose. You see it, yes?
He appoints His children a 3-day break while He Himself took a 3-day trip to the pit of hell for us.
“Then bursting forth in glorious day up from the grave He rose again.”
None beside Him.
The above green was springing up under much death this morning. I brushed aside leaves, but also unrooted, lifeless remnants from last year’s growth.
Anything you need to move aside? It moves quite easily when it is no longer gaining sustenance from the Source. No need for moldy manna or old wineskins for the New Wine He longs to bring.
Beauty from Ashes.
I do appreciate how discreet Nehemiah is as he slips into the night to survey the damage of the city walls. And he hasn’t told anyone what Creator God put in his heart to do.
How about us? Can He trust us with plans to seek the beauty of others? And are our plans His? We are all guilty of making our own timetable and to-do lists and goals, then asking Him to bless it almost as an afterthought.
What if we made ourselves available to let Creator God give our hearts what He wants to accomplish? Or even better: pay attention to what He is already at work doing and throw in – with the awareness we join Him.
When His Spirit is in charge, it flows, help offered is welcomed and He gets the glory.
The only animal (behemah-beast) in this middle-of-the-night scene is the one Nehemiah is on. Makes me wonder what the few other men were doing? Perhaps our leader needed a bit more height to survey the damage done.
What we know for sure is the Leader never required being above others. He was born lowly among animals, beasts. He Himself rode a donkey into Jerusalem while people proclaimed Him king. Only to be betrayed by that same crowd later in the most important week in history.
And He reversed all the damage we’ve ever done.
Beauty from Ashes.