My life's reflection through the Book of Nehemiah: INTRO
In the next few posts, I will be touching certain truths that might offend the reader or would hit a nerve, but know that from the first time I went on this journey and walked with Nehemiah, God had opened up and hit several nerves in my own life. The liberty I've felt since the lies have been exposed and the healing balm have been applied, is exhilarating. I ask that you would have an open mind and an open heart to fully comprehend what I am trying to bring across and let Holy Spirit speak in to your heart and open up the truths exactly as He has done for me. I trust you will truly find this journey an awesome ride.
Unfortunately with any subject, we need some background information: Nehemiah was written 445-425 BC and his name means "Yahweh Comforts". He was the son of Hicaliah and he belonged to the priestly seed of Aaron but because of the captivity of the whole of Israel, he was cupbearer to the King of Persia. Upon hearing the bad news of his beloved Jerusalem lying in ruins, he felt the urgency to rebuild the walls.
But I feel we need to rewind a bit. Why were the Israelite's taken into captivity? Why did the city lie in ruins? Because of disobedience and unrepentance. God had many times, through the prophets, warned the nation of Israel. Jer 25:3 "....the word of the Lord has come to me and I have spoken to you persistently early and late, but you have not listened and obeyed."
How many times have I not listened and heeded the voice of God. How many times have I suffered, not because of God's failing love, but because of my own hardheartedness and stubbornness...
Quite a few years ago my daughter was still a toddler and I have been prompted many a times before, by the Holy Spirit, to control my temper. I have always thought of an excellent reason why I had the 'right' to loose my temper and why I was given the reason to blow up. Well, on this wonderful Sunday morning (already long into my Christian walk), I was once again to a point of utter irritation and lost my temper. My daughter had been playing with a bucket and after the umpteenth time she did not listen, so I did what any decent human being would do in utter frustration - I literally kicked the bucket. But to my own distress, my little toe and his next door neighbor were caught in the crossfire and came in contact (very severe contact) with the door frame and I broke both in the process. Can you imagine how many 'blessings' I uttered on this sunny Sunday morning??? NOT!! It was freaking painful and after many painful 'walks', I still have two very scew toes.
Does God still love me in the process? YES
Does He still want the best for me? YES
Is He a forgiving God; abounding in mercy and loving kindness? YES.....
But sometimes He allows hurt for us to be shaped.... (His allowable will I call it)
Heb 12:6 "... the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes"
Rev 3:19 "Those whom I dearly and tenderly love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten (I discipline and instruct them). So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent (changing your mind and attitude)."
Prov 3:12 "For whom the Lord loves He corrects, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights."
Heb 12:11 "For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness - in conformity to God's will in purpose, thought and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God)."
And then sometimes He, after ample of opportunities to repent and change ourselves, allows for proverbial walls to be broken down. WHY? Because He loves us and He wants our ways of doing and thinking to change and He knows exactly what character flaws we have and which of those flaws could be detrimental to our well being.
Tomorrow I'll be looking at what these 'walls' are that need to be broken down before a new, fortified city wall could be built....
xx
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