Nehemiah: God Is with Us in Hard Times

Do you feel like the world is falling apart? Do you wish someone would have the courage to step forward and fix it? Nehemiah knew what that felt like. He was a cupbearer to the Babylonian king, living in a time after God’s people had been exiled for worshiping idols and rejecting God’s good commands.

Nehemiah was heartbroken when he heard the news that Jerusalem, the beloved city of God’s people, lay in ruins—homes reduced to rubble, the temple destroyed, and the walls broken down.

A city without walls had no defense.

Nehemiah wept and prayed for guidance, asking for forgiveness for the sinful things God’s people had done. Miraculously, God not only released him from his cupbearer responsibilities to the king but also provided protection along the way AND the materials to build!

Once Nehemiah arrived, he assessed the damage, which was worse than he expected. But Nehemiah was not deterred in what God had called him to do. Instead, he rallied the Jews, newly returned from exile in Babylon, and told them he had a plan, the materials, and most importantly, God’s approval. The people would work together to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls.

But Nehemiah faced repeated and discouraging opposition. Still, he trusted in God. He knew God had blessed the rebuilding project, and eventually the walls were rebuilt.

As Christians living life in this crazy world full of brokenness and lies, we find hope in Jesus when we read the Bible, God’s love letter to us. In the book of Nehemiah, we hear over and over again reminders and promises that point to Jesus: that God is with His people, no matter how hopeless the situation may seem, and that He is ready to restore and redeem those who repent, even though we have sinned. We are free to serve Jesus, knowing that we are never alone and that He promises to one day make all things new—free from sin and death. • Jarm Del Boccio

• When Nehemiah saw the brokenness around him, he talked to God. What is weighing on your heart today? Consider taking a moment to talk to God about these things.

• How can the promises of Jesus encourage us to pray about, and maybe even take action to help with, the situations that weigh on our hearts? (Matthew 28:20; 1 John 1:9; Revelation 21:1-6)

When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God. Nehemiah 6:16 (NLT)