The Passage: Nehemiah 5:19
The Point: God remembers the work we do for Him.
The chapter ends with a prayer that we will see repeated six more times in this book. Nehemiah is asking God to remember him. Does Nehemiah think God is forgetful? No, not at all! Nehemiah has been faithful to God’s calling and plan to rebuild the wall. He is a man of prayer. We have seen the prayers he has already prayed and the ways that God has moved on his behalf. God has not only worked to make it possible for the wall to be rebuilt, He has also worked in the hearts of His people.
Nehemiah’s prayer is not for worldly blessing or fame, but that God will look upon his life and remember the good he had done for the sake of God’s people. In Hebrews 6:10 we see an extension of this idea: “ For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.” Nehemiah’s life work was built around showing love to God’s people and ministering to them.
Our lives can be lived in the same way. Think about Nehemiah’s example. He was a man of vision and prayer, a man of action, a servant leader, a man of perseverance through adversity, an advocate for the oppressed, a good steward, and a spiritual leader to name a few. These are characteristics that are memorable to God. The things we do to love God’s people and minister to them for the sake of making His name great will not be forgotten.
Processing:
- Look back over Nehemiah 5, what were some specific things that Nehemiah did for the people?
- How did Nehemiah’s actions reflect the character of God?
Plan:
- Think about your life, how are you loving and ministering to God’s people?
- What is one way you could love or minister in a way that is a better reflection of God’s character?
- Will your life be remembered for building God’s kingdom or your kingdom?