Nehemiah's Union-A Work Of Faith!

2010
Tuesday
20
April
Daily Devotional
Nehemiah’s Union - A Work Of Faith!
By Pastor Paula White
This week's topic: Unity In The Body Of Christ


Recently, the congregation of our church, Without Walls International Church in Tampa, Florida, joined together for 52 days of prayer, dedication, and consecration, as we studied and explored the Book of Nehemiah. This chapter of the Bible recounts how, under the leadership of Nehemiah, the surviving Jews worked together to complete the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem within 52 days – an incredibly efficient feat of faith and team work, after the generations it had taken to rebuild the fallen city and temple.


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For our church it was a time to come together in a joined commitment to strengthen, repair, and renew our faith and hope in the plans God had promised for our church and our families. It was a time to study God’s Word, and learn from and be inspired by a great man of God. Studying the work Nehemiah spearheaded and accomplished, as he joined with other like minds to restore God’s glory to Jerusalem, was a powerful lesson for each of us, as we dedicated the 52 day period to our corporate and personal goals and visions for the future.

The Book of Nehemiah chapters 1 and 2 recount how Nehemiah, Jewish cupbearer to the King of Persia, discovers that his beloved Jerusalem is still in disarray, and is granted by the King the opportunity to go for a while to help his people and his fallen city. Chapter 3 goes on to recount the many people – high priests and priests, sons, fathers and daughters, goldsmiths, apothecaries, landowners, citizens, and merchants -- who came together to work with Nehemiah. Section by section, gate by gate, they stood shoulder to shoulder to complete the task. It was a union of unity and faith – and even in the face of detractors and nay-sayers, they completed the task through perseverance, persistence, and commitment – knowing that, as Nehemiah said, “the hand of God” was on them.

Considering that it had previously taken generations just to rebuild the temple, what Nehemiah was able to accomplish was nearly miraculous. I believe that as modern day Christians we can learn a lot about what a unified body can accomplish by studying what Nehemiah and his “union” were able to do.

When members of the body of Christ join together with a unified goal, vision, or commitment, as God’s people we are able to complete the same kinds of powerful accomplishments that Nehemiah’s ‘union’ was able to do. When we come together with a God-given purpose, we too can be sure that He will honor our handiwork. When our goals and visions as a unified body join together to achieve God-inspired purposes, we are about our Father’s business – assuring that His “will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven.”

Shoulder to shoulder, side to side, each completing his or her portion of the task, in full agreement with leadership and each other, in firm agreement -- and with faith that the goal is righteous and will further God’s designs for His people and His kingdom on earth. This is how Nehemiah’s union rebuilt the wall in 52 days and this is how we can collectively accomplish greatness and make an impact for the Kingdom in our world today. So let us go forward in unity, as one body in Christ…and watch how God will lay His hand upon our works of faith as well.

Scripture Of The Day: Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.” - Nehemiah 2:17v (NKJV)


A life coach, author, and highly sought after motivational speaker, Pastor Paula White is the host of her own television program—Paula Today, which reaches an audience of 2.3 billion people worldwide, spearheading a number of global humanitarian efforts. Her mission in life is to Transform Lives, Heal Hearts and Win Souls. Visit http://www.paulawhite.org.…