“‘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 occupy?’ And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.”
Nehemiah 2:8
Last time we listened in as Nehemiah requested from the king safe conduct among the governors beyond the River. He simply wanted to be passed over on his way to Judah, saving all his energy for the task of rebuilding.
Today we get to see his further request: timber. Nehemiah knew he was heading back to a place with little materials to build. Likely he was trying to deal with details before he arrived so they could jump right in.
“And may I have a letter to Asaph, bodyguard 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 occupy?”
And because the beautiful hand (ability alongside) of Creator God was hovering over me, the king granted my requests.
Oh so much in the Hebrew. The word for make means to appoint, lay beams. Don’t you love it? There would soon be different timber laid upon One appointed to do for us what we could never do for ourselves.
As we navigate these divided cultural and political waters, let’s remember what our Savior had to do for all of us. All of us. If there is someone out there you don’t understand or relate to, would you pray for them? Would you ask God to show you that what He had to die for in you is the same thing He had to die for in them? Remember, Creator God created all. His image is in every one of us. I guarantee He would love to grant you that glimpse into our own hearts to see more clearly His.
Because if we are His children, His beautiful ability alongside us is powerfully at work within.