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However you are just in all that is come on us; for you have dealt truly, but we have done wickedly; neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept your law, nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies with which you did testify against them. For they have not served you in their kingdom, and in your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and fat land which you gave before them, neither turned they from their wicked works. (Nehemiah 9:33 WEB).

Nehemiah grew up in the real school of hard knocks. He was a servant living as an exile in a foreign land. The capital city of his country and the home of his fathers lay burned and looted, Jerusalem. It was a very dark time for his nation and all appeared hopeless, especially for one man to tackle.

But just as Esther was put in a position of influence for such a time as this (Esther 4:14), Nehemiah was placed as the cupbearer to the king of the land. Nehemiah was deeply moved for Jerusalem and begged God to give him favor: Lord, I beg you, let now your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who delight to fear your name; and please prosper your servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. (Nehemiah 1:11).

His prayer was answered. The king took notice and told Nehemiah to return and rebuild the wall of his city, and even provided the materials for it. He was in the right position, had the influence, and was given favor to accomplish that task. It was a bad job that no one else wanted. It was dangerous and under constant threat and ridicule. When they began rebuilding the wall, one had to work and one had to hold a spear waiting for the impending attack, but in a record 52 days, the wall around Jerusalem was completed and everyone knew that it was God.

Nehemiah and those with him acknowledged that their fathers had messed up. They had been rebellious and not followed the Lord, then their country was overrun and they were all taken away into exile. They repented, they fasted, they worshipped and sought God earnestly.

Nehemiah prayed and reminded God of His own words to Moses: Remember, I beg you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, If you trespass, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples: but if you return to me, and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heavens, yet will I gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there. (Nehemiah 1:79).

He and all those who were with him wrote a covenant and sealed it" Now those who sealed were: Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah, (Nehemiah 10:1). God blessed them, restored them, protected them and they completed their work.

For such a time as this we live. Nehemiah lived in a time when his fathers had dropped the ball and destroyed their nation, but he manned up, took a stand and said, "not on my watch". He reversed the damage done by his fathers. He rebuilt the wall that had been torn down. Each of us are put here and connecting with God is what gives our life true meaning and purpose. Let us follow the example of Nehemiah and take a stand for God, even when everyone else has forsaken Him.

Prayer: Father I thank You for today, for where I am, and for all that You have blessed me with. You are an Awesome God and there is none like You. I get excited at the things that You do. Show Your power in my life. Lead me, teach me and help me take a stand for you, in the name of Jesus I pray.