Explore: God inspires the work

• The Explore the Bible lesson for Jan. 11 focuses on Nehemiah 2:1-8, 17-18.

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• The Explore the Bible lesson for Jan. 11 focuses on Nehemiah 2:1-8, 17-18.

This morning, my husband, Chris, obediently sat in armchairs in the dining room to watch the pre-breakfast performance. Our 4-year-old daughter, Eraina, who always is devising elaborate plans, was orchestrating a dance show she and her 2-year-old sister, Karis, were to perform for us.

I have heard it said the same qualities people identify as leadership in little boys are usually called “bossy” in little girls. I think Eraina blurs the distinction between the two. She directed every bit of the costume, the set, the music and each dance move. Sometimes Karis was a dutiful follower; sometimes she wanted to do things her way. Occasionally, we had to intervene. One of our main parenting tasks at this stage is to teach Eraina what it means to be a good leader, the kind others want to follow.

A spiritual and pragmatic leader

Nehemiah is known as such a leader. He had a rare combination of spiritual preparation and pragmatic execution. He was able to move people—royalty, officials, religious folk, common people—toward a desired result. He fasted and prayed; he cast vision; he motivated; he strategized. And unlike the efforts of Ezra some 20 years earlier, against all odds and some significant opposition, he got the job done. How did he do it?

After receiving the news that the Jewish remnant and the city of Jerusalem were in disgrace (1:1-3), Nehemiah spent days mourning, fasting and praying (1:4). He reminded God of God’s promise to restore the repentant exiles to the place of God’s dwelling (1:5-11). And presumably during these four months of spiritual preparation, Nehemiah began developing a strategy.

With prudent timing, Nehemiah seized an opportunity to lay the groundwork for his plan. As he served wine to the king at a feast, King Artaxerxes noticed Nehemiah’s distress. Nehemiah obviously meant something to the king, and the king humbly and kindly asked about his wellbeing. Overcoming his fear, Nehemiah wisely crafted his request and laid out the reason for his distress.

A few years ago, Bill Hybels spoke about vision at the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit. He said, “leaders move people from here to there.” Most people start by painting a compelling picture of what “there” looks like. But Hybels said no matter how wonderful the vision of “there” is, there always will be people who want to stay “here.” Finally, Hybels discovered there is a step that must come before vision-casting. “The first play is not to make ‘there’ sound wonderful but to make ‘here’ sound awful.” Several thousand years before Hybels, Nehemiah employs this same leadership tactic.

A deplorable situation


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He described the reason for his distress to King Artaxerxes. The situation in Jerusalem was deplorable to Nehemiah because his hometown lay in ruins. The situation was deplorable to God because God had been dishonored, and this grieved Nehemiah more than anything.

But he wisely hinted the situation in Jerusalem was deplorable to the king as well, because a city within the kingdom was defenseless and vulnerable. And although the king certainly deduced the city in question was undoubtedly Jerusalem, by avoiding the name, Nehemiah avoided reminding the king of the failure that occurred the last time the king commissioned a group to return and rebuild.

The king obviously was convinced of why the city in ruins could not remain in its current state. He indicated a willingness to help, and Nehemiah again showed godly leadership by quickly seeking the Lord before proceeding. Nehemiah proved himself to be a person of prayer. He knew he always could ask God for direction, confident God would answer. So after shooting up this “arrow prayer,” Nehemiah asked permission to go and rebuild Jerusalem.

As a valuable servant to the king, the king wanted to ensure Nehemiah had a plan for the work and to ensure he would return. When he inquired as to the timing, Nehemiah revealed a well-crafted strategy for travel, procuring materials, and the work to be completed. He was more than just a spiritual visionary, he showed diplomatic and political prowess. He thought through each detail that would ensure the success of his mission. And because he already had ensured the plan was of God, and not of his own derivation, the hand of God was upon him and the king granted his request (v. 8).

After making the arduous journey and carefully examining the situation on the ground in Jerusalem, Nehemiah summoned the people to lay out the reason for his return and the plan for rebuilding. Finally, Nehemiah demonstrated he truly could move people from “here” to “there.” He painted a dismal picture of Jerusalem in ruins, and then contrasted it with a God-honoring vision of the restoration of his city and people. Nehemiah was skilled in the art of motivation.

Something worthy of achieving

He let the people know the work before them was made possible by the gracious presence and provision of God. And the work was commissioned with the authority of the king. With God and king behind them, the people saw the monumental task before them as something worthy of achieving. They enthusiastically agreed to undertake the rebuilding, despite the challenges, and they set out to do the work to which God had called them.

We may not be staring down the monumental challenge of rebuilding a city that has long lain in ruins. However, God regularly places opportunities in front of us that require willing obedience, spiritual commitment, wise preparation and planning, and faithful execution.

Often, we are called to include others in the work, and these may include unbelievers like King Artaxerxes or God’s people who are called to the same kingdom tasks. God makes the challenge of great leadership, compelling vision-casting and artful motivation possible. If we learn anything from Nehemiah’s example in chapter 2, it is God is faithful to restore those who seek God to do work that honors God.


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