June 7

“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days, I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” —NEHEMIAH 1:4

The Book of Nehemiah is the last book in the Old Testament which chronologically documents the history of God’s chosen people. It is the story of Nehemiah who was serving as cupbearer to the King of Susa, the capital city of Persia, when he is given a vision from God to rebuild the city walls of Jerusalem.

For 140 years since the Babylonian invasion, Jerusalem had been left in ruins. Disgrace, trouble and brokenness characterized the city. When Nehemiah heard this, he is not simply disappointed, but is overcome with such grief it reaches into the core of his being. Stephen Olford, a well-known preacher (now deceased), was asked, “What is the secret of ministry?” He replied, “Bent knees, wet eyes, a broken heart.” Nehemiah wept sorrowfully, and for days mourned and fasted and prayed over the brokenness of God’s holy city and the people he loved.

What is it that sits so heavily upon us about the needs of this world which expresses itself from the deepest core of our beings? Sadly, there are people who not only don’t go to that place within themselves, but can’t even get there because of defenses they’ve built around themselves. But the needs of our broken world can only be met by people with broken hearts. Something inside us must resonate with the heart of God, and until we have felt the pressure of His pain and compassion deeply within our souls, we will not fully participate in the work of God.

To Nehemiah, the breakdown of the walls represented the breakdown of God’s people. As God’s church, we are God’s people, and God is far more concerned about the worker than He is the work. It is ordinary men and women He uses for His purposes, and it is the condition of our hearts He looks upon. It is this brokenness, the very depth of touching the heart of God, and God touching our hearts that will sustain and energize us. We are actually fed by our tears.

Nehemiah was impassioned and driven to fulfill the will of God, not out of pity, but out of genuine sorrow and compassion that resonated with God, and became a driving force. If the ingredients of fruitfulness in the Christian life are bent knees, wet eyes and a broken heart, then as people of God, we need to make ourselves available to Him and, like Nehemiah, be driven by passion and compassion for God’s agenda in this world.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I ask that You give me a heart so in tune with yours that You will use me many times over for your work in this world. I want my life to be lived in service to You. Thank, You, Lord.

TO REFLECT UPON: Am I hurting over the needs of this world and compelled to do something about it?