8/1/2011 7:54:35 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: He had faith to challenge others PT-2
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Nehemiah 2:11-16
Message of the verses: “11 So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12 And I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting into my mind to do for Jerusalem and there was no animal with me except the animal on which I was riding. 13 So I went out at night by the Valley Gate in the direction of the Dragon’s Well and on to the Refuse Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were consumed by fire. 14 Then I passed on to the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was no place for my mount to pass. 15 So I went up at night by the ravine and inspected the wall. Then I entered the Valley Gate again and returned. 16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done; nor had I as yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials or the rest who did the work.”
Dr. Wiersbe entitles this second sub-point “Investigation” and it covers the verses above.
“Proverbs 18:13 He who gives an answer before he hears, It is folly and shame to him.” This verse in Proverbs helps to describe what Nehemiah was doing riding around the city of Jerusalem at night. It describes the reason that he was doing what he was doing.
I had mentioned in an earlier SD that I had read a book by Church Swindoll that he wrote as a commentary on the book of Nehemiah, and the main point of his book was looking at Nehemiah as a leader, showing exactly what a good leader is made of and not that I am studying this book as a part of my devotions I am pleased to see that Dr. Wiersbe is bringing up this aspect of leadership in his commentary on Nehemiah. There is no better place to learn about leadership than in the pages of Scripture, for when the Lord has something that He wants to do He will call a great leader to accomplish the plans that He has.
Nehemiah first of all was doing something that the Lord his God was putting into his mind and that was to go out at night when his enemies were sleeping and survey the situation that his brother had earlier reported to him, and see if his findings would concur with what he saw. Nehemiah took a few trusted men with him in order to aid him, and this is another product of a good leader, that is to have trusted people around him. What Nehemiah saw was exactly what he had been told about some six months earlier, and what he saw was not good, for the walls and gates were in bad shape and this was good for their enemies, but not good for the Jews living in Jerusalem.
I wish to quote some things that I find interesting and helpful from Dr. Wiersbe’s commentary on Nehemiah: “Leaders are often awake when others are asleep, and working when others are resting. Nehemiah didn’t want the enemy to know what he was doing, so he investigated the ruins by night. A wise leader knows when to plan, when to speak, and when to work.
“Leaders must not live in a dream world. They must face facts honestly and accept the bad news as well as the good news. Nehemiah saw more at night than the residents saw in the daylight, for he saw the potential as well as the good news. Nehemiah saw more at night than the residents saw in the daylight, for he saw the potential as well as the problems. That’s what makes a leader!”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I suppose that the things that is most on my heart after reading this passage was actually the passage in Proverbs. My toes have been stepped on from this passage, and I guess that is a good thing.
My Steps of Faith for Today:
1. Continue to learn more about prayer and to make my prayers glorify the Lord.
2. Trust that the Lord will continue to teach me contentment.
3. Trust the Lord to glorify Himself in the selling of our Mazda3. 8/1/2011 9:02:01 AM
No comments:
Post a Comment