“I … examined the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire.”
Nehemiah 2:13b
Nehemiah was not willing to turn a blind eye or rely on second-hand reports of the dire situation he faced. He went and personally inspected Jerusalem with his own eyes. He saw the broken-down gates. He walked amongst the rubble.
Personally, I admire his courage. It is hard to hold the hand of a dying friend or to sit with a sufferer when all hope seems lost. It is hard to see heaven at the end of a hospital corridor. Think of how heartbreaking it is to go to the crash site, to the abandoned home, to the town utterly in ruin after being ravaged by fire or storm. Nehemiah personally confronts the severe realities with which he must contend.
Jesus didn’t turn a blind eye or rely on secondhand reports when dealing with the rubble of your heart either. God knows your inner thoughts (see Psalm 139:1-16). He knows you in every part. When He went to Calvary, He knew exactly for whom and for what He was dying. Your sin was not an obstacle to Him—it was the very reason He came! He did not save you in spite of your sin, but from your sin.
Personally, I admire his courage. It is hard to hold the hand of a dying friend or to sit with a sufferer when all hope seems lost. It is hard to see heaven at the end of a hospital corridor. Think of how heartbreaking it is to go to the crash site, to the abandoned home, to the town utterly in ruin after being ravaged by fire or storm. Nehemiah personally confronts the severe realities with which he must contend.
Jesus didn’t turn a blind eye or rely on secondhand reports when dealing with the rubble of your heart either. God knows your inner thoughts (see Psalm 139:1-16). He knows you in every part. When He went to Calvary, He knew exactly for whom and for what He was dying. Your sin was not an obstacle to Him—it was the very reason He came! He did not save you in spite of your sin, but from your sin.
Scripture Focus
Nehemiah 2:9-16
Insight
“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
Bible In A Year
- 1 Samuel 15-16
- Psalm 127
- 2 Corinthians 8
