Although Chapter 3 of Nehemiah seems like it is a bunch of listed names that don’t mean much to us at this moment, there are actually a lot of incredible takeaways in this chapter that can be applied to our lives today.

First, let’s look at the number of people involved in the rebuild of Jerusalem’s wall. The entire chapter is a list of all the individual lives involved in this mission that started in one man’s heart. Many times when we are in a building or a rebuilding season, we try to take it on alone and try to hold all of the weight on our shoulders.

Nehemiah knew from the beginning that he could not do this alone and that it would take willing soldiers of the Lord to accomplish this mission. This is why Nehemiah prayed so long before he acted. He prayed for divine resources to accomplish God’s given assignment. If you, too, are about to embark on a journey, know you aren’t supposed to embark on it solo. Pray first for God to send resources, send people, send wisdom, and send provision as you walk the ways of the Lord. We too often resist help from others out of our own pride or fear of being a burden, but we have to remember burdens from the Lord come with his resources as well. Whether it is your health, your career, your marriage, your finances, or your relationships, taking something on by yourself would be playing small in a mission meant to be monumental.

Secondly, we need to recognize that those who are mentioned were not skilled in the assignments they were given for the rebuilding. By trade, they were skilled in other areas, which shows us that the Lord will equip us in the areas we are unqualified. If you are afraid to start your rebuild because you don’t believe that you are skilled to create the blueprint, know that God will provide you a person or the needed wisdom and discernment to help you carry out His plan.

Lastly, what our hands build today will not and should not only impact our present moments. Remember, God doesn’t operate out of time, he operates out of His will. In verse 15, we read about Shallum, who repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam, which is the same pool that Jesus later used to heal the blind man. We never know how our actions today will bring impact, even generations later. We live in a world that craves outcome and immediate gratification, which can prevent us from acting today. For example, choosing to exercise and eat nutritious foods may not get us the physical results we want to see in the immediate moment, but through consistency, it will bring lasting and healing benefits to ourselves, as well as to the generations after us by preventing disease or patterns that create disease down our family line.

Whatever you are rebuilding today, don’t build small. Pray for resources, pray for people, pray for eternal perspective and pray for strengthened hands to build God’s design. You got this, sis, and you aren’t meant to be in this alone.
Have the BEST DAY EVER,
-Ash