Nehemiah 2–God will build this wall

                                                                                                        

All along life’s path, we see things that require trust and prayer. For instance, when my family went to the lake this afternoon, my little brother had to trust that he wouldn’t drown in the water. However, some things are a little bigger obstacles. Like for me, I bring all my devotions back to Camp Casey. Here are some things that seem hard or impossible:

• all the students get along
• those who like to draw attention to themselves NOT doing it
• egos disappearing during worship
• people maintaining thoughtful additutdes during teaching, devotions, and small groups
• weather staying nice
• capture the flag at the fort going well and people staying safe

The whole Camp Casey trip is a big unknown, and the more I hear about who is going, and who is leading different parts, the more I get nervous that it’s going to be a bomb this year. God reminded me that He will build our wall so to speak.

Nehemiah was bearing the king’s cup one day and it says he looked sad. The king asked him why he was so sad, and it says,

“So I prayed to the God of heaven.  And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.” Nehemiah 2:4-5

The first thing he did was pray. He didn’t go talk to ten other people and then ask the king. He didn’t text his best buddy and tell him what the king asked, and then tell the king. No, he prayed. And as a result, the king agreed and let him go, even sending a group of soldiers for protection.

When he got there, he rode around, did his research, and then announced to the people that they were going to re-build the wall.

But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”

 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding.” Nehemiah 2:19-20

Nehemiah had God on his side. He had faith that his succes would come from the Lord. But even with his tremendous amount of faith, he took action. He didn’t wait for God to lift the first stone, he got busy.

So now, the application. God is powerful and all-knowing. It’s ridiculous of me to think that this retreat can go any way other than His way. I need to follow Nehemiah’s example of praying, having faith, and moving forward–and God will build this wall.