The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 2:20,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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"The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it."
When Nehemiah secured King Artaxerxes' permission and support to travel to his homeland to rebuild the walls and gates in Jerusalem, it rattled, it disturbed, the local power brokers in the surrounding area. Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite and Geshem the Arab are cited as among those who raised their voices against Nehemiah and the Jews as they set themselves to make the repairs.
The above verse is Nehemiah's response to the challenge raised by Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem. Nehemiah's resolute commitment and work on the walls and gates of the city was done in the midst of the opposition brought by these outraged locals.
The point here being that Nehemiah had set himself to do what the local Gentiles objected to. The important thing to keep in mind is that it was the Lord himself who determined the returnees to the promised land rebuild the walls and gates following the temple being rebuilt and having the temple worship restored.
We might view this as the Lord acting divisively against the protests of these local power brokers. The Lord had his agenda and these locals had their own competing agenda. I am reminded of Proverbs 19:21, "Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."
It is quite apparent that when the Lord desires to pursue something, when he sets himself to his agenda, he remains unconcerned with the potential push-back from others.
In other words, our Lord can be very "divisive" in his intentions and actions. Intentionally divisive. He does not consult with the desires of others when he determines to do something. He doesn't do focus groups to make sure what he is doing is pleasing to others, he doesn't take polls and he doesn't hire consultants to bring about any kind of consensus.
In other words, our Lord can be very "divisive" in his intentions and actions. Intentionally divisive. He does not consult with the desires of others when he determines to do something. He doesn't do focus groups to make sure what he is doing is pleasing to others, he doesn't take polls and he doesn't hire consultants to bring about any kind of consensus.
He just does what he decides to do, no matter what opposition may arise.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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