The last half of Nehemiah 4:7 records, "the people worked with all their heart." Taken out of context this could be a confusing statement. But when you consider it in the story of Nehemiah it becomes a powerful reminder of what God's people are capable of doing when they make the choice to work side by side in service to God and each other.
The wall of Jerusalem had been destroyed several decades earlier. Under the leadership of Nehemiah the people had undertaken the monumental task of rebuilding the wall, both as a means of protection and, possibly more importantly, as a psychological reminder that their Capitol City was once again a vibrant, important place. We can't begin to imagine the hardship these folks endured in order to accomplish the task. What we can understand though is that they had a desire to see this project finished...they had a personal stake in successfully rebuiling this wall.
The statement at the end of chapter 4:7 tells us how important it was to them. They poured themselves into it. They sacrificed to make certain it was completed. They set aside things that were important in their lives in order to accomplish this unified mission.
As their leader, Nehemiah understood the importance of relying on the power of God to get the job done. He knew they would get discouraged and that there would be opposition. But he also knew that God had brought him to this particular place to accomplish this construction project so he showed the people the power of God by leading them through the process.
There are many lessons that can be gained from a close study of the book of Nehemiah. There is none more important though than to see the power of a unified body of believers allowing the strength of God to push them far beyond what they ever imagined they could do. It's time for Christians in the 21st century to learn that lesson and put it into practice.
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