With a prayer to the God of heaven, I replied, "If it please Your Majesty, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried." So the king agreed, and I set a date for my departure. (Nehemiah 2:4b,5,6b NLT)
For the past eight years my wife and I have taken a trip. Some trips are leisurely excursions for the purpose of pleasure, relaxation, or getting away from the cold northerly climates. Other trips are for the purpose of serving the Lord. Our trips were a combination of both. We called them "working vacations."
Nehemiah's journey was a Trip with a Purpose. When the report reached him that the returnees from captivity in Jerusalem were in great trouble and disgrace he sat down and wept. For days he mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.
Payer has a way of helping us isolate the problem and put things in proper perspective. When we take our problems and needs to the Lord, he reveals a course of action and shows us how we can get involved. The Lord has chosen to work through his people.
Nehemiah traveled to Jerusalem with a sense of urgency and passion. The walls needed to be rebuilt and the temple project protected from outside interference. He got personally involved and put his energy to the task.
Are we willing to get involved? Regardless of where we go, or what we do, we will be fulfilling our passion as a servant of the Lord.
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