Remember Me, Oh My God, for Good
Humanity spends a considerable amount of time trying to remember. We are a very forgetful people, and so we build in rhythms and routines to help us remember. Countries are filled with memorials, and history is taught in almost all schools. Both of these are intended to provoke a remembrance of events or people. In fact, in English Commonwealth countries, there is an entire day called Remembrance Day meant to remember the end of World War I and the soldiers who fell in battle. We have politicians, celebrities, and even influencers clamoring to be remembered both now and in the future – they want a worldly remembrance. However, what Nehemiah asks for consistently is for GOD to remember him.
Nehemiah was a cupbearer for King Artaxerxes in the Persian empire. This would have been an esteemed and trustworthy position giving Nehemiah a position of prominence and a level of access to the king that most people could not dream of. In addition, this was the most powerful empire in the world at the time. Knowing this tells us something about Nehemiah when it is clear he wants to leave this position (at least for a period of time) to go help rebuild a wall for a small and seemingly insignificant town in a conquered land. Nehemiah has obviously clung to the promises made by God through prophets like Jeremiah and wants to be part of the rebuilding of His nation. So much so, that he gives up a position of esteem and prominence.
Once he arrives in Jerusalem, he demonstrates his leadership skills and is able to get the wall completed in just 52 days despite opposition and frustrating circumstances. He also works alongside Ezra to bring the nation back into alignment with God’s will. During this time, he prays to God to remember him for his good. He asks God to remember that he has done his best to do good and to be a part of His plan. I believe Nehemiah understood and knew God’s power and that His memory is much different than ours, but this prayer tells me that Nehemiah also feels comfortable enough with God to request that God view him favorably, despite his failures and flaws. In fact, he makes this request of God to remember his deeds four times throughout the book.
Nehemiah is full of amazing applications including leadership qualities, the power of a common goal, acting in faith, and many more. However, the lesson I want to focus on from Nehemiah is the power of correct priorities. It is clear that Nehemiah is a successful man from a worldly point of view – but it is also clear that Nehemiah has worked to put God in the correct position in his life – the top position. This helped him to put his career, prestige, and even the love of others into their correct places. Nehemiah understands the power of choosing God first. From the very beginning of the book, we see Nehemiah asking one of his fellow countrymen about how Jerusalem and Judah are faring. He is not only concerned with his job, his needs, and his current location. He works to care about the same things that God cares about. Once he hears that things are not going well, it bothers him. It bothers him so much that he weeps, prays, and fasts. It bothers him so much that this is still on his mind FOUR months later, and the king can tell something is wrong! When the king asks Nehemiah about it, Nehemiah is honest about what is weighing on him and thinks to pray before making a request of the king. Then he has the courage to recognize an answered prayer and ask for an extended leave. Not only does he get this leave, but he also gets resources and an escort of soldiers.
Once Nehemiah makes it to Jerusalem, he takes stock of the work that is needed and immediately comes up with a plan. The opposition from enemies begins and he faces internal struggles from his own countrymen who are taking advantage of others. Despite these struggles, Nehemiah is able to rally these Israelites to complete the wall in a little under 2 months time.
For various reasons, in recent months, I have spent a considerable amount of time thinking about the topic of idolatry. While preparing for this study, it hit me that Nehemiah is an incredible example of how to root out idolatry. Just like Nehemiah, I must place God in the most prominent position of my life and then align all my other priorities in the way God would have me to. I must care for the things God cares about, and I must make talking to Him second nature. I need to care less about what others think of me and care much more about what God would remember of me. These are the steps needed to crumble the idols of my heart and to give me the courage and strength not only to complete the work that needs to be done in the Lord’s kingdom, but also the wisdom and ability to deal with the opposition within and without.
Nehemiah is a beautiful example of a man, just like us, who used the resources he was given to accomplish amazing things by submitting himself to the will of the Lord. I pray that I, too, can correctly align my priorities and use the resources God has given me to repair the walls in my little part of the world and that I too can humbly ask the Lord to remember me for my deeds.
