Rebuilding walls

 

I have been thinking of Nehemiah for quite some time now. Why? Because I can relate to him.

He was one of the Jews in captivity in Babylon. He was a cupbearer to the king Artaxerxes. He probably was quite settled in Susa, the capital of the Babylonian Empire, and he probably had an easy-going life there. For a cupbearer he got as high up the food chain as one could probably get. Yes, he was a captive, but he had a good life. Then one of his brothers returns from a trip to Jerusalem and Nehemiah asks for news from the holy land, only to be told, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” (Nehemiah 1:3)

Nehemiah breaks down in tears before God and repents for his nation and feels a burden to go before king Artaxerxes and petition him for help. The king accepts and sends Nehemiah to go and rebuild the walls of the holy city.

A cupbearer with absolutely zero knowledge about building becomes obsessed with one thing and one thing only, REBUILD THE WALLS. Lack of ability aside, he’s so determined that he inspires others to join him in his quest. Happy ending, right? Nope. As he starts rebuilding, Sanballat and Tobiah, start mocking him and the workers, and when mocking doesn’t work, they start plotting against Nehemiah, trying to harm him and to stop the work. So, Nehemiah must become even more than just a cupbearer turned architect, he has to become a warrior. So much so that he’s building sword in hand, but he’s undeterred. He’s REBUILDING THE WALLS. The scoffers do what they know best, they scoff, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” (Nehemiah 4:2-3)

Nehemiah does what he does best, he prays and carries on. So, they plot to harm him, and they keep asking him to get down the wall and go meet with them, yet he’s resolute, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to go down to you?” (Nehemiah 6:3) He knows he’s no architect. He’s aware of just how frail he is, yet he proclaims it to his enemies: “a great work”. He keeps praying, keeps working and finishes the work.

I am Nehemiah. I have been taken captive into a situation that was, is and will be out of my control. My walls were torn down, and my gates burned to cinder. Again. I could accept it, or I could start rebuilding. AGAIN. I am no architect. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’m building. Not because I heard a voice from heaven telling me to build, but because I believe in The One that allowed my walls to be torn to help me rebuild them.

“Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the LORD binds up the brokenness of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.” (Isaiah 30:26)

My enemy doesn’t just sit there calmly accepting my decision. He has seen me building things before that have collapsed under the weight of a fly. So, when he mocks me, he’s not just spewing lies. He’s taunting me with my past failures because it’s true. I have built many things that sit in ruin. But I don’t think he’s ever seen me desperate to build a wall that will withstand the weight of loosing the closest, dearest thing to my heart. True, I am no architect. True, I’m just making it up as I go. True, I have failed before. Yet, I build! A thousand times over, or more. As long as I have breath in me, I will rebuild! With one hand I’ll lay my bricks and with the other I’ll carry my sword, yet I will build! I will trust You, that made Nehemiah’s wall stand to make mine stand also. You strengthen the bars of my gates! (Psalm 147:13)

“Violence shall no more be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your borders; you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.” (Isaiah 60:18)

 by Cristina Pop