Nehemiah - "Jesus, Friend of Sinners"

The Lord woke me up in the wee hours of the morning with Casting Crowns "Jesus Friend of Sinners" in my mind. When I got up a few hours later it was still there with the direction to read Nehemiah. As I started reading about the reconstruction of the wall of Jerusalem I thought about the Wailing Wall I prayed at during our trip. I also thought about the tour we took below the Old City in which we walked where Jesus actually walked. I saw the strength in the walls that survived all these years. In Nehemiah, Jerusalem is a symbol of God's dwelling place. It is the center of life in the world. As I read Nehemiah I started thinking about how when God is dwelling in us we have His strength protecting us. But what about those who reject Him? What about those who mock Him? What about those who turn from Him? It is no wonder they succumb to sin when they don't have His power in them. Praise God He can rebuild the walls of strength in us when we surrender to Him. 

It is not an easy process to build walls with God as the center but it definitely is one that is a blessing. First, we have to be willing to work at changing just as the people in Nehemiah did in chapter three. Second, we have to actually work at changing. We have to be willing to listen to God for His direction and then follow it. In this chapter it talks about the different gates that enabled people to gain access to the city. We can apply building these gates to our own lives as we build God's strength in us.

Sheep Gate - This gate represents Jesus who shed His blood on the cross for us. When we realize the sacrifice He made and desire to live a life of sacrifice to Him, it is the first step in the building of strength in our lives.
Fish Gate - "Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men"? Mark 1:17. We must be willing to share Him with others in order to have His strength in our lives.
Old Gate - Society is falling away from the truth. We must stand up for the truth in order to have His strength in our lives.
Dung Gate - When we keep the junk of life within us, it tears us down. We must get rid of all refuse in our life and not let it accumulate in order to have His strength in our lives.
Valley Gate - We must be humble in order to have His strength in our lives.
Fountain Gate - We must allow the Holy Spirit to flow in and through us in order to have His strength in our lives.
Water Gate - In Nehemiah this gate did not need repaired but it needed reinhabited. We need to be in the Word of God (which never changes) in order to have His strength in our lives.
East Gate - This gate faced the new day. It brings about anticipation of what is yet to be. We need to claim the hope of Christ we have in knowing we will spend eternity with Him in order to have His strength in our lives.
Horse Gate - We must be ready to battle against evil forces in order to have His strength in our lives.
Muster Gate - If we really desire to have the God's strength, we need to look at our lives and make sure we are doing His will. When we do this, He will enable us to have His strength in our lives.
Sheep Gate - It is interesting in Nehemiah 3 how we start and end with this gate. If we truly want to strengthen our lives, we must start and end with the cross.

As we strengthen our lives with the Lord, there will be great opposition. We will have people who no longer want to be our friend. There will be some who will verbally abuse us for our beliefs. Nehemiah chapters four through six show persecution to those who were rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem. I love chapters seven through thirteen that show reinstruction of what we need to do once our walls are rebuilt in order to have God's strength to keep them standing.

Chapter nine gives an amazing prayer that Ezra shared in which he thanked God for all He had brought them through. In order to have His strength in our lives, we need to remember where we have been and how He has brought us through. His strength in us comes through as we live a life of obedience. Chapter eleven is about the gifts that were given to different groups. In II Timothy 1:6 Paul reminds Timothy to use the gifts God gives him. If we want to have His strength in our lives, we must use the gifts He gives us. Chapter twelve shows the people celebrating and being joyful. The enemy does not like when we are joyful. Joy will strengthen our walk with the Lord. Nehemiah 8:10b reads, ...the joy of the Lord is my strength. Nehemiah stood strong in the Lord through chapter thirteen where he stood against evil to pave the way for the Lord. 

The desire of my heart is to have His strength to stand up against the evil of this world. I am determined to live out Nehemiah 8:10b. I so desire for those who don't know Him to come into relationship with Him so they too can have His joy. I think back to the words of the song this morning and pray for the Lord to open my eyes to those who need Him so badly.

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours

And I was the lost cause and I was the outcast
Yeah...
You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for bringing me to the book of Nehemiah this morning. Thank You for the words of encouragement I gained from reading. Thank You for the reminders of what happened so many years ago that strengthened the great walls of the city. Most of all thank You for showing me how to apply these words to my life today. You are so awesome. Lord, fill me with more of You and less of me so I will be enabled to be the servant You so desire of me. Lord, I pray for You to enable me to be joyful in all circumstances in order to be strengthened through You. Thank You Jesus for being My Nehemiah (Comforter). Amen.