April 24, 2025 - Good Morning! It’s Thursday, April 24.
Today we focus on a man who gave up comfort, security, and power - to follow God’s call and to do God’s will. This morning we look at the man, Nehemiah.
Four centuries before Bethlehem, Nehemiah was a trusted assistant to the king of Persia, the greatest empire that the world had ever known. But Nehemiah wasn’t Persian, he was an Israelite, and was one of the thousands of Jews who lived in exile from their land. Their country had been defeated by the Babylonians, and their temple, Solomon’s Temple had been destroyed by the order of King Nebuchadnezzar.
The Babylonian Empire had, in turn, been conquered by the Persians, who began to allow the Jews to return to Jerusalem. Nehemiah was part of this “remnant”, a group that would build a second temple and restore the walls of the once great holy city. Nehemiah was a leader of this effort, and his book, the last book of history in the Old Testament, is a fascinating and inspiring read.
It is the story of a man, of a people, who had experienced great loss, and took on great challenge in order to move forward. Many of the exiled Jews chose not to return to their homeland, chose to stay in their comfort and security. We do not remember their names. But, today, we remember Nehemiah.
Nehemiah 13:14 - “Remember me for this, O God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God.”
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
