Nehemiah needed to do things by stealth as he inspected the walls of Jerusalem. He needed to assess what was going to be easy to fix, slightly harder to fix, and the hardest to fix. Sometimes we need to look at what has broken down in our lives and assess what we need to do to bring about repair. God’s desire is that we can come to place of completeness, a place of joy.
Nehemiah 2 vs. 11-15 – Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls
I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days I set out during the night with a few men.
I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem.
Nehemiah had clarity about what he wanted to do and he was to God’s guidance trusting and open
He did not want to arouse suspicion about what he planned to do for Jerusalem
His enemies did not want to see change from a place whose wall were burnt and gates hanging broken
To a place where it was re-built, strong, they did not want a strong Jerusalem
God desires to take not only places, but people from weakness to strength, to heal those who are broken
Nehemiah had a dual mandate of restoration for the people and place of Jerusalem
There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on. By night I went out through the Valley Gate
Toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down,
Nehemiah didn’t need armies to reconnoitre the walls it was better to go alone, and assess walls and gates
To see damage first-hand, to understand the weak points and see what was most urgent and survey the town
Sometimes we need to take time to inventory, take stock of life and assess what is our current life-state
To seek God to let him and accept changes to be made, God’s promise to us is that he will never let us down
And its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate
And the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through;
Nehemiah physically examined the gates and walls; he knew what needed doing at each gate
He knew the scope of the task; the rubble was such his mount could not get through
Sometimes there seems to be too much junk, debris which clog our lives and passion does abate
We need to stop and clear that which blocks progress so that life we can get through
Nehemiah didn’t stop because he was blocked he sought another way around the broken gate
He took a different more difficult route, the road less travelled to make his way through
So I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally,
I turned back and re-entered through the Valley Gate.
Nehemiah wanted to cover every angle and do it safely
Despite the darkness he picked his way to the Fountain Gate
He made sure he knew all he needed to know completely
So that he could brief the leaders and his case clearly state
Mark Maffey, February 2009
(NIV)