Nehemiah 3:15-27
Looking at today’s section may just feel like a list of names and what they were doing towards the construction of the wall. However, we see a powerful story happening. Over and over in this section, we see this phrase, “next to him” or “next to them”. We see many different people coming together to repair the wall side by side. Priests, rulers, families, craftsmen, and everyday people worked side by side in the work and throughout the city in different areas. It is important to see that this was not one man’s effort, but it was everyone joining in together and working together. As they worked next to each other and together, they worked for the Lord together. Their strength was in each other and ultimately in the Lord.
God has always wanted to use us to accomplish His will. He wants us to live our lives in a way that is “next to Him”. That we are not doing things by our own strength but relying on Him, just like we see here others relying on each other. We must always have an attitude of being “next to Him” in everything and working with Him and not on our own. Let us live by His power and strength.
The church is supposed to function in this same way even today. Sure, we might not always be building a physical wall, but we are supposed to come together and function together, even with all of our differences. The church is described as a body with many parts. A physical body has many different parts that all come together to function together and next to each other. We may not all have the same gifts or callings, but we are called to work together as the church. The church can do incredible things when it has this mindset. When we serve faithfully in our spot, next to one another, God will use us greatly.
Where has God placed you to serve? How are you using your abilities to serve Him and others? Who has God placed beside you? Let us encourage each other, work together, and serve together. All striving to serve the Lord and to glorify Him above all. How are you living next to God in your life?
Looking at today’s section may just feel like a list of names and what they were doing towards the construction of the wall. However, we see a powerful story happening. Over and over in this section, we see this phrase, “next to him” or “next to them”. We see many different people coming together to repair the wall side by side. Priests, rulers, families, craftsmen, and everyday people worked side by side in the work and throughout the city in different areas. It is important to see that this was not one man’s effort, but it was everyone joining in together and working together. As they worked next to each other and together, they worked for the Lord together. Their strength was in each other and ultimately in the Lord.
God has always wanted to use us to accomplish His will. He wants us to live our lives in a way that is “next to Him”. That we are not doing things by our own strength but relying on Him, just like we see here others relying on each other. We must always have an attitude of being “next to Him” in everything and working with Him and not on our own. Let us live by His power and strength.
The church is supposed to function in this same way even today. Sure, we might not always be building a physical wall, but we are supposed to come together and function together, even with all of our differences. The church is described as a body with many parts. A physical body has many different parts that all come together to function together and next to each other. We may not all have the same gifts or callings, but we are called to work together as the church. The church can do incredible things when it has this mindset. When we serve faithfully in our spot, next to one another, God will use us greatly.
Where has God placed you to serve? How are you using your abilities to serve Him and others? Who has God placed beside you? Let us encourage each other, work together, and serve together. All striving to serve the Lord and to glorify Him above all. How are you living next to God in your life?
Posted in Devotional