Nehemiah 2:6 Then the king… asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.
Nehemiah was an exile from Judah, the cupbearer to the Persian King Artaxerxes. Nehemiah held a very esteemed secular position in the palace where he had the ear of the King. When Nehemiah heard the news about his homeland, his heart was heavy and his face was sad as he stood before the king. The proximity to the King gave Nehemiah the chance to convey the burden about the ruins of the city walls of Jerusalem. The request of Nehemiah to pursue the missionary journey was granted by the king. Nehemiah was in a safe and secure position in the palace but he was willing to sacrifice his comfort to go on a journey to fulfil his calling.
Many struggle to identify their calling. The burden is the pulse of God’s heart beat. The passion in our heart to help the lonely, seek the lost, rebuild and reconstruct ruined lives is our vision and mission. It was the burden in Hudson Taylor’s heart that made him leave his cosy home in England and serve in China for 51 years. It was the burden that Corrie Ten Boom had for the Jewish community during holocaust that took her to the prison with the Jews. It was the same burden that brought William Carey the English missionary to India and Mother Theresa to serve on the streets of Calcutta.
Our time on earth is only a transit and our earthly residence is only a temporary address. Before we reach the final destination and stand before the King of Kings, we must fulfil our mission and our divine vision.
The task could be turbulent but remember our earthly journey is only a transit:
1. Discomfort: Fulfilment of our purpose requires sacrifice of our pleasures and preferences. Neither Nehemiah’s journey nor the mission of rebuilding was comfortable. The hands that held the king’s cup had to hold mortar and mud. However, Nehemiah had the provision and protection of the King. Nehemiah 2:8b&9 King granted my requests…The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me. We will have the providence of divine riches and protection of the heavenly hosts in our mission.
2. Disdain: Progression in our purpose will bring fierce storms of opposition. Nehemiah 2:19 When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. The derision was from the foreign settlers. When we embark on the visionary journey to pursue our purpose we will face contempt, contention and contradiction. It will feel like hell has broken lose along with Sanballat & Tobiah, Saddam Hussein and Taliban. Nehemiah’s answer should be our answer – Vs 20 The God of heaven will give us success.
3. Danger: Reformation, restoration and reconstruction is always resisted by threats, coercion and dangers of demonic intervention. Nehemiah was accused of rebelling against the king. Vs 20 “Are you rebelling against the king?” The revolution will normally be challenged as rebellion and friction. When hell breaks loose, heaven’s defence force will outnumber the demonic armed forces.
We could be encrypting software, teaching students or serving tables; when we are on our God given commission and mission we will face contention. Our journey on earth is only a short transit stay. So, it is worth standing firm on our God given vision and fulfilling our commission.
Nehemiah 6:15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, in this transit short stay on earth, let me never allow the worldly comforts or care to distract me from the divine commission. Help me to overcome the contentions, confrontation and condescension to fulfill my heavenly calling. Amen
Leave a Reply