I am a task-oriented person. I love projects and getting things done. I make lists and check things off with the joy of accomplishment—sometimes I even go back and write down what I have already done just so I can create a box and check it off my to-do list. Nehemiah was also a “get ‘er done” guy too. He was the right leader to rally the people and rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. But he knew his construction project was more than bricks and mortar. Beyond building the wall was forming a people. People were Nehemiah’s priority. He knew that exile had taken a deep toll on the Jewish soul and identity. As we near the conclusion of Nehemiah’s personal memoir, his attention focuses onto the spiritual formation of the people of God. Read Nehemiah 9-10 and see how he guides his people into honest confession and a tangible commitment. What good is a secure city if its people are crumbling from the inside out?
Bill
