SUNDAY, 23 MARCH 2025
TEXT: Nehemiah
2:1-10
1: In the month of Nisan
in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took
the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before,
2: so the king asked me,
“Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but
sadness of heart.”
3: but I said to the
king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city
where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed
by fire?”
4: The king said to me,
“What is it you want?”
5: and I answered the
king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight,
let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I
can rebuild it.”
6: Then the king, with
the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and
when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.
7: I also said to him,
“If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of
Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in
Judah?
8: And may I have a
letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make
beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for
the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on
me, the king granted my requests.
9: So I went to the
governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had
also sent army officers and cavalry with me.
10: When Sanballat the
Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much
disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.
(New International
Version Holy Bible)
TOPIC: A
BURDEN SHARED IS A BURDEN ADDRESSED
Nehemiah
did not see the burden of rebuilding the walls as his alone. He involved King
Artaxerxes, the queen, the governors of Trans-Euphrates and Asaph, keeper of
the king's forest.
With
this caliber of people around him, all his needs for the project were met.
Projects
are easily completed when its vision is shared with others. That worked
tremendously for Nehemiah.
QUESTION: How has Nehemiah's approach challenged you into
doing things differently?
PRAYER: Father, teach me to open up to others so as not to
die in silence, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Remain
Blessed
ECWA Food For The Day,
2025.
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