Thanks to advance notice from Kevin (our pastor for those of you who follow this blog from elsewhere) I've been reading nehemiah with the attitude "God, what are you saying in this book that you want to say through me, and what songs can I play that you will use to help us remember." So while I've been doing this, I've had a couple of thoughts that I thought I'd share.

What impresses me about Nehemiah is his humility and wisdom in this chapter. When Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem, he must have made an impressive entrance. The king had sent army officers and cavalry with him, so I’m sure everyone was curious why he was in Jerusalem. But he doesn’t tell them right away. He tells us that he “had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 2:12). He stays for three days and then–at night–he inspects the Jerusalem walls. He keeps his own counsel and instead makes a full inspection before announcing his purpose. He is thorough. He gathers all the “facts” before making a decision.

If I’d been Nehemiah, I’d have ridden into Jerusalem proudly, announced my plans right away. I’d have done this before I’d inspected the situation and had a good grasp of the whole situation. Good thing Nehemiah wasn’t like me, which is probably why God picked him for the task. Instead, Nehemiah is humble. the fact that he quietly examines the walls before making any decisions or plans shows me his wisdom. He is careful in his planning and wants to have first-hand knowledge of the situation before he proceeds any further into his mission.

I could stand to learn a lot from Nehemiah’s actions. How many times do I make plans without considering all the “facts” beforehand? How many times do I barge into a situation, proudly thinking I can make it right, when I don’t know the full situation to begin with?

Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth. See you on Sunday when Kevin speaks from Nehemiah 3. I don't know about you, but this series is definatly got me paying attention, and it's got me digging into the word a little deeper than I have in awhile.