Rebuilding

Homeless veteran on the streets of Boston, MA (2008), Photo by Matthew Woitunski (CCA – 3.0 Unported)

There was an old pop hit titled We Built This City which contained the line, “We built this city. We built this city on rock and roll.” An appealing lyric, if not entirely accurate.

Nehemiah was a man concerned with building – or more precisely rebuilding – a city. With the population of Judah forcibly deported during the Babylonian Captivity in the 6th Century BC, Jerusalem fell into ruin. When Persia, in turn, conquered Babylon, Jewish captives were permitted to return to Jerusalem. They did so in three waves. Nehemiah led the third such wave, and began rebuilding the defensive wall around the city.

Though Nehemiah was not a builder, he was an exceptional leader and a man of faith. The Book of Nehemiah is effectively a manual on godly leadership. It is believed to contain prayers from Nehemiah’s own journals, the language is so personal.

“Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few, and the houses were not rebuilt” (Neh. 7: 4-5).

Father, great and awesome God, hear the prayers of Your children now, as You heard the prayer of Nehemiah on behalf of Your people.  Keep Your promise of mercy toward those who love You and observe Your commandments.

Our cities are in ruins, Lord.  Poverty, drugs, and crime have decimated them, as they have decimated the lives of the people living in them.

We cry out to You, Father.  The task before us is enormous.  We cannot accomplish it without You.

Restore us, Father. Revive us. And help us rebuild once more.

Amen

READERS CAN FIND MY VIEWS ON ABUSE AND ABUSE-RELATED ISSUES AT ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse  http://www.avoicereclaimed.com