Blog: Nehemiah- Indifference

In the opening verses of Nehemiah chapter 1, we're introduced to Nehemiah, a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes in the city of Susa. Despite his comfortable position, Nehemiah's heart is burdened by the news of Jerusalem's broken walls and the plight of his people. The walls, once symbols of security and identity, lay in ruins, reflecting the brokenness of the people themselves.

Ezra had lead the 2nd return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple and restore worship. Nehemiah will lead the 3rd return to restore the walls of the City but first he has to respond to God’s desire to awaken this burden within him.

Nehemiah got emotional, because God awakened His perspective in Nehemiah’s heart. We need an awakening! 

We can be born into a world where things existed before us so they seem normal to us things have simply been this way so long, we can’t imagine another way to see them until God begins to awaken his eternal perspective within us to imagine a better future.

Nehemiah 1:3-6 They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” When I heard this, I sat down & wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven. 5 Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. NIV

Many knew about city in ruins but Neh took personal responsibility

1. Sat down – Will we slow down & pay attentn to what God sees? 

2. Wept – Are we touched by what touches God’s heart?

3. Mourned - Do we feel what God feels about our world around us?

4. Fasted & Prayed –Are we willing to be part of the solution?

E+Motion = Energy in motion. We are fully capable of being passionately activated. The problem is the church tends to be more emotionally charged than spiritually mature.

There are things that really matter to you. There are things that really matter to God. In my own life looking back I have to admit that many times these have not been the same things. (Less of me, more of you!) This is what happened with Nehemiah. He moved beyond his comfortable life and was touched by the things that mattered to God.

He response to this God-given burden was to pray! Nehemiah reminds us over and over that we should pray before we plan!

Praying people need to plan more planning people need to pray more typically the case Nehemiah prayed 14 times 

Nehemiah recognizes the need for divine guidance and intervention. He acknowledges the sins of his people as well as his own sin and neglect. 

His prayer starts with praise not problems just like the Lords prayer shows us to do. Start with prayer not the problem. Power of prayer/prob

True restoration begins with a humble heart, acknowledging our need for God's grace. The heart of restoration seeks God's purposes above personal ambitions.

Nehemiah's prayer isn't merely a cry for the physical rebuilding of walls. It's a cry for the spiritual restoration.

The ruins left the people in a place of spiritual deficiency. Gathering around God’s presence to hear God’s Word was no longer a pattern of priority. Generational indifference is more destructive than any of us can imagine.

Our patterns reveal our priorities to the world around us. Our patterns instill our priorities in the hearts of our children. Our children will embrace what they experience. Not what we say but what we do.

Let’s sacrificially purpose to gather as a family, read the word as a family and even give as a family during this time. 

Felt the Lord saying this Fall would be a tremendous time of harvest. Then I realized if we go chapter-by-chapter we actually read about the feast of booths in chapter 8 the very week this Annual Biblical Feast is taking place! Significant! 

We want to leave next generation more than what the previous gen left us. Our church needs to be strong theologically, relationally and financially. An income producing endowment is something we are asking God to help us establish.

Know of a situation with a ministry that has a $4m endowment. If that generates 8% annual then it provides $320k every year to expand the work of God’s Kingdom in the earth without ever spending any of the principal that is making the money.

This is generational wealth and it should be the way we think about generations to come!

Everywhere we go….

We Bring GP2RL Action Point:

Read two chapters of Nehemiah a day asking the Holy Spirit to burden you for what burdens Him.