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The Builder's Heart
August 27, 2006
(Nehemiah 1)
Rev. Tonya Arnesen

The year is 445 B.C. and the scene is Susa, the capitol city of Persia (modern-day Iran) – which was the lone superpower of the 5th Century B.C.  In far off Israel, a massive reconstruction project has been going on, as the Jews—now released from centuries of exile in foreign lands—are attempting to restore Jerusalem to its ancient splendor. A delegation from Jerusalem arrives in Susa, headed up by a man named Hanani. They ask for a meeting with the President’s chief-of-staff, an official named Nehemiah, and are ushered into the equivalent of the West Wing.  Hanani and Nehemiah embrace, for they are Jewish brothers.

Nehemiah eagerly asks how the restoration is going. And here is an important lesson for us:  while leadership is often associated with great speaking, before a leader’s speech will be very wise or helpful, it must be preceded by great listening – to gain genuine understanding of people and issues; to know what troubles and motivates others.  If we want to be “builders for eternity,” we must stop and listen before we go and act. 

Nehemiah learns that the restoration efforts are not going well.  Those who survived the exile are in great trouble and disgrace. The newly-built wall of Jerusalem has already been broken down.  Conflicts have broken out among God’s people; they are divided and disputing, unable or unwilling to continue their building project.  Outside marauders have come in and vandalized the construction work.  The beautiful new gates of the city have been destroyed by fire.  The once fervent hope for reconstruction of national pride and a return to God’s favor, is crumbling – again. 

Of course, it is not only in Israel, that we struggle to build or re-build something good and lasting.  You and I have faced times when the walls we built to protect ourselves – the things we count on for a sense of security – collapse at our feet.  We’ve seen how the stability of our home, our workplace, our social circle, our political process can crack and crumble as conflicts tear them apart.  We’ve seen how the fires of anger or lust can consume the gates of self-discipline and blow up lives.  We’ve watched as the living stones – folks we admired – have failed us and our trust is destroyed.  We’ve been there when the ramparts of health were breached unexpectedly. We know what it feels like when someone we counted on to build with us, suddenly abandons the task for other pursuits.   

Day by day, the soldiers of spiritual death enter our city too. They sneak in via the Trojan Horse of prosperity or the pace of a busy life. They assail us through a thousand media messages that tear away at our souls. Like Hanani, the press cries out news of another war, another act of atrocity, another scandal, another mind-numbing statistic or loss. How do we respond to these things?

Well, how did Nehemiah respond? He already had a lot on his plate—a very tough job. He could have so easily said, “Look, I’m here in Susa – I’d don’t have time or energy to worry about stuff that’s happening way over in Jerusalem.”  But the text says, “When I heard these things, I sat down and wept.”  And, I believe, Nehemiah wasn’t alone.  God wept, as well. 

Do you ever wonder what God feels when he watches CNN?  You know, God knows the name and story of every person behind the statistics and the headlines – and He never goes numb or turns away from the hurt.  God aches for the redemption and renewal of this world; enough to send his Son to bleed and die for it… enough to call his Son’s servants to go into all the world to do something about it – to be “Builders of Eternity” – to build up the blessed walls and gates of God’s Kingdom in this world, here and now.

But here is something we simply must understand:  we will never fulfill our calling until we allow our hearts to be broken by the things that break God’s heart.  Nehemiah understood this.  He writes, “For some days, I mourned and fasted.”  He didn’t shrug his shoulders and resume life as usual.  He leaned into the ache.  He took time to mourn – to really think about and feel the need which God had made him aware of. He began a period of fasting, so that he wouldn’t forget – because fasting would literally make him feel the need in his body.  That’s how much Nehemiah wanted to be available and ready to do the will of God.

How can you and I become more available like that?  What is the Jerusalem to which God might be calling you to be a Builder?  Where do you see important walls or structures broken down?  Where do you see the protective gates burned up?  Where do you see marauders invading, or division reigning, or a people hurting in a way that breaks your heart and the heart of God?  It may be in your home or your school.  It could be in your workplace or in your church.  It might be a social issue, a civic problem, or an injustice which you know is piercing the very heart of God.

If you can’t think of anything, ask God to bring a person like Hanani to you, someone who will make you aware of a place where you are needed.  Ask God to show you your “Jerusalem,” then lean into the ache of God’s unfulfilled will there.  Mourn what’s going on.  Think about the void that you wish could be filled.  Let yourself feel the pain or trouble of the people affected. Share with someone else the thoughts and emotions that rise up for you. Then, consider fasting, as Nehemiah did.  Pick something to let go of, or set aside – a meal, a drink, the television or computer – whatever you turn to when you are tempted to anesthetize yourself against life.  In other words, create a bit more space for you to think about what God is thinking about.  Stop what you are doing long enough to listen to God. 

Haddon Robinson says that when God really wants to do something powerful, His first instruction is often: “Don’t just do something, stand there.”  If you’re a person of action – that advice may seem counterintuitive.  But the truth is, the greatest people of action, are usually those who are willing to stop and prepare before they step out.  First, they do the creative internal work, which prepares them to do the active external work.  

Certainly, that was so with Nehemiah.  He stopped before he started.  He stopped to listen, to mourn, to fast.  And one more thing – he says, “For some days… I prayed before the God of heaven.”  Before he acted, he fell to his knees.

According to Daniel Meyers, “One of the primary evidences that God is stirring a passion for bold action in one of his servants is that he or she experiences a weakening in the knees.”  Have you ever felt that?  You come face-to-face with the reality of how badly things are broken-down in some area of your life or that of others, and you feel your strength melting.  But do you realize what a blessing that can be?  

Sometimes it is only when we come to a place of deep humility that we find the key to real ability, as our despair drives us to prayer.  Abraham Lincoln once observed: “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.  My own wisdom and that of those about me seemed insufficient for the day.”

In his book, First Things, author Steven Covey points out that the most effective servant-leaders always give first priority to those activities that maximize everything else they subsequently do.  Jesus – the most influential leader of all time – made prayer his first priority.  His relationship with God was the well-spring, the source of perspective and power, for everything else he did.  The same was true of Nehemiah – in fact, his prayer life is mentioned 11 different times in this book.

What I’d like us to notice in particular, is HOW Nehemiah prays.  It is a wonderful model for us to use as we ready ourselves to respond to the magnitude of human need in the world.  There are four distinct elements to Nehemiah’s prayer: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication.  You can remember them by the acrostic word “ACTS.”  

First is Adoration:  what about God’s worth or work might you ADORE and praise God for more fully?  It is only as we let our minds dwell on the great glory and goodness of God that we can put our earthly challenges in proper perspective.  The Israelites may have seen Goliath confronting a scrawny shepherd boy.  But that shepherd boy – David – saw that Goliath was a pygmy compared to the King of the Universe.  Adore the greatness of God and other things will assume their proper size.

The second element of prayer is Confession.  Nehemiah realized that the problems the Jews were facing back in Jerusalem were not merely political circumstances, historical forces or physical accidents:  they were the result of a spiritual disease called “sin.” 

What sins do you need to CONFESS to God?  You know, we all fall short of
God’s expectations; all of us break God’s law in one way or another: 

1)     We dethrone God – allowing other powers and priorities to become more significant in our lives. 

2)     We bow down to and chase after idols – objects made by human hands. 

3)     We vainly toss around the name of God and casually handle holy things. 

4)     We forsake our Sabbath rest and become slaves to busyness. 

5)     We take for granted, our parents and those who have sacrificed to give us life.

6)     We murder the souls of others with bitter words; we kill their reputations with gossip.  And by our inaction, we allow children of God to die of hunger and loneliness.

7)     We commit adultery in our imaginations, if not in body.

8)     We steal and cheat to get what is not ours – and we withhold from the needy, that which God has entrusted to us to give away.

9)     We give false witness against others to make ourselves look better.

10) We envy what others enjoy, failing to recognize the goodness that God provides to US.   

Brothers and sisters, when we break God’s law, we also break down the things that God is trying to build up.  Most of the disappointment, alienation and pain that we experience as individuals, in our families, our church, as a nation and in the world – is caused by disobedience.  And if we are to find healing and wholeness, peace and reconciliation, vitality and fruitfulness in our lives – we must get honest with ourselves and with God about our shortcomings.  “Confession IS good for the soul!”

Nehemiah knew that he could confidently confess his sin before a merciful and loving God.  And that brought him to an attitude of THANKFULNESS.  As you pray, what grace or assurance can you THANK God for – even in spite of the troubles you encounter?  How have you experienced God’s grace in your life?  Where do you see good triumphing, growth happening; blessing being poured out?  Which of God’s promises reassure you in the face of adversity?  Thank God for those things. 

And finally, after Nehemiah had offered God his adoration, confession and thanksgiving, he lifted his SUPPLICATION to God – he asked for God’s “favor” before moving forward with God’s purpose and plan.  

What specific “favor” do you need; what favor does our church need to pray for, as we pursue God’s purpose and plan for our future?  What obstacles need to be removed?  What resources are we lacking?   Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move.”  Friends, we must dare to pray for what we need – trusting that God desires to give us what is necessary to fulfill His good purposes. 

As we prepare to rebuild our Jerusalem – whatever that may be – let our hearts be broken by the things that break God’s heart.  Let us stop – and listen… and mourn… and fast and pray.  Then let us watch in joyful wonder, as the One who built eternity itself, makes it possible for us to help fulfill His will.  Amen.

Rev. Tonya M. Arnesen

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