Don’t think that Nehemiah was a weakling, for he actually would have been an impressive person. The job of cupbearer to the king of Persia required more than simply presenting a cup; it was a security position of highest rank which would have given him the respect of the king. However, Persian kings were intolerant of anyone who caused them any displeasure. It was unlawful to appear sad or be sad in the presence of the king; breaking that law was punishable by death. Nehemiah was justified in being concerned when the king noticed his sadness. The king’s notice and tolerance of him was an indication of his respect for Nehemiah, as well as God’s answer to Nehemiah’s request.
Have you ever felt a burden for another person or a cause so profoundly that it caused you great pain? That explains why Nehemiah was so moved to hear that the wall surrounding Jerusalem was in ruins. The condition of a city’s wall was a cause for its people’s honor or humility. The rubble surrounding Jerusalem shamed the Jews. Nehemiah’s sorrow was God’s call for him to take action. He had many obstacles to overcome in order to take action: he lived too far away from Jerusalem to do anything about it. He was not free to go; the king’s cupbearer didn’t just tell the king he wanted a reassignment. He could have used these to justify not going. Instead, he asked for God’s help in overcoming the obstacles, and God helped. That obviously didn’t make it easy, but it made it possible. Simply dealing with the rubble left by the Babylonian soldiers who destroyed the walls about 150 years earlier would have been an overwhelming task, given the conditions in Jerusalem. The Jews were living very simply and lacked resources for doing that kind of work, even for that day. How much experience do you think a goldsmith or a merchant or a man and his daughters had for that kind of work? Imagine how the ridicule of the opposition would have stung in the face of these realities. They didn’t let any of these stop them.
Has God given you a burden for some person or some cause that might be His call to you to take action? Today’s reading presents a good opportunity for you to talk to God about it and ask Him to give you favor and whatever help you need to make it possible. Don’t expect it to be easy, but don’t let difficulty stop you. If He made it possible for Nehemiah to lead the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, He can certainly make possible the fulfillment of any need for which He has given a burden.