I remember those days when we moved all the things from the old church building, things not given away or sold, to the newly built church building that would now be our place or worship in His Presence. God had guided us to this place. He provided miraculous ways to get His work accomplished. The experience stories of each one who worked shoulder to shoulder are still in the back of my memories as well as others involved! This building was truly a miracle of God in all kinds of ways. It was God’s work in the people as we learned to give, listen, trust and obey Him as we contributed funds, time, and our talents to the work. God directed and equipped many to do what they had never done before so that others in the community could know God through Jesus, too.
Full disclosure, unity was threatened many times in the process of how to do certain things and what to purchase when with our faith budget. The enemy did not like our progress and would stir the hearts of good people to play with our egos. But we had elders who sought God’s wisdom. With God’s wisdom in them they led us to settle disagreements at the altar, on our knees, asking for God’s wisdom and focus for the work. For example, I remember a meeting of disagreements over carpet color. An elder stopped the talking and led us to the altar again to “have a little talk with Jesus.” Yes, we asked God for help us with choosing the carpet color! We were a people of simple faith who trusted God in all the details! I’m grateful for the legacy of these great faith moments in time that were embedded into my heart, mind, and soul.
The church was centered on the five acres purchased, near the back, with forethought for future growth, by God’s will and plan. After the excitement of the first Sunday worship service, we settled in. I remember, even though still a teen-ager about to graduate high school, of those days of settling into this newly built structure with places for learning as well as worship. Ministry expanded! I watched as God gave each one in the Body new tasks with new abilities as we came together as the Body of Christ.
We were present and accounted for in His Presence to continue His command to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:20)
Nehemiah, with God’s wisdom, organized God’s people as they settled in as new residents of Jerusalem, the Holy City. They were counted, assigned, and present in the Holy Presence of God, ready to do His work in various ways.
Nehemiah 11
The New Residents of Jerusalem
Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns. 2 The people commended all who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.
3 These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem (now some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants lived in the towns of Judah, each on their own property in the various towns, 4 while other people from both Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem):
From the descendants of Judah:
Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez; 5 and Maaseiah son of Baruch, the son of Kol-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, a descendant of Shelah. 6 The descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem totaled 468 men of standing.
7 From the descendants of Benjamin:
Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah, 8 and his followers, Gabbai and Sallai—928 men. 9 Joel son of Zikri was their chief officer, and Judah son of Hassenuah was over the New Quarter of the city.
10 From the priests:
Jedaiah; the son of Joiarib; Jakin; 11 Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God, 12 and their associates, who carried on work for the temple—822 men; Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah, 13 and his associates, who were heads of families—242 men; Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 14 and his associates, who were men of standing—128. Their chief officer was Zabdiel son of Haggedolim.
15 From the Levites:
Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 16 Shabbethai and Jozabad, two of the heads of the Levites, who had charge of the outside work of the house of God; 17 Mattaniah son of Mika, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the director who led in thanksgiving and prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his associates; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. 18 The Levites in the holy city totaled 284.
19 The gatekeepers:
Akkub, Talmon and their associates, who kept watch at the gates—172 men.
20 The rest of the Israelites, with the priests and Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, each on their ancestral property.
21 The temple servants lived on the hill of Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of them.
22 The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mika. Uzzi was one of Asaph’s descendants, who were the musicians responsible for the service of the house of God. 23 The musicians were under the king’s orders, which regulated their daily activity.
24 Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was the king’s agent in all affairs relating to the people.
25 As for the villages with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba and its surrounding settlements, in Dibon and its settlements, in Jekabzeel and its villages, 26 in Jeshua, in Moladah, in Beth Pelet, 27 in Hazar Shual, in Beersheba and its settlements, 28 in Ziklag, in Mekonah and its settlements, 29 in En Rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, 30 Zanoah, Adullam and their villages, in Lachish and its fields, and in Azekah and its settlements. So they were living all the way from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom.
31 The descendants of the Benjamites from Geba lived in Mikmash, Aija, Bethel and its settlements, 32 in Anathoth, Nob and Ananiah, 33 in Hazor, Ramah and Gittaim, 34 in Hadid, Zeboim and Neballat, 35 in Lod and Ono, and in Ge Harashim.
36 Some of the divisions of the Levites of Judah settled in Benjamin.
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
Now that the walls and gates of Jerusalem were restored, the Jews had to inhabit their capital city and make the population grow. For one thing, people were needed to protect the city, for they never knew when the enemy might decide to attack. It may have been safer for the people to live in the small outlying villages that were no threat to the Gentile society, but somebody had to take the risk and move into the big city!
Warren Wiersbe comments;
“Having rebuilt the Holy City, the people would live there as a witness to the skeptical Gentiles around them. After all, why rebuild the city if they didn’t plan to live there? God had brought the remnant back home because He had a special job for them to do, and to abandon the restored city would be to obstruct the working out of God’s will through Israel.
Never underestimate the importance of simply being physically present in the place where God wants you.
You may not be asked to perform some dramatic ministry, but simply being there is a ministry. The men, women, and children who helped to populate the city of Jerusalem were serving God, their nation, and future generations by their step of faith.” –Wiersbe Study Bible
God’s work will never end until Jesus comes back again. In our journey through the Old Testament, we have learned that God relentlessly loves His people. God is faithful even when His people are not. God is compassionately patient with us until we return to His Presence. God provides ways for His people to come back to Him as they repent with sacrifices from what God has given to them. God is honored when we say thanks with sincere, humbled hearts. When God’s people seek God; He is found. God listens when we call out to Him. God answers those whose hearts are completely His, as they seek His wisdom, while standing on His promises with praise in His Presence.
Are we Present in His Presence?
Are we stopping to be still before Him in His Presence, listening for Him before asking anything of Him?
Do we really believe in all God says and does to be really real?
Are we humbly grateful when He invites us to His work? What is the motivation of our hearts in the work? Do we grumble when we don’t get our own way in the Body?
Do we truly trust that God will provide all we need when we say yes to His guidance in all the details of the work?
These and other probing questions are meant to lead us to be present in His Presence. His Holy Spirit does His disciplined work of leading us to Truth for all who believe and are present and focused. Each answer given to these questions is an individual decision of commitment to trust and obey The One and Only God who created each one of us “in His image” with purpose and meaning. But we have choice—In His Presence or not.
Choose wisely whom you will love, serve, trust, and obey. It is a matter of life or death.
Choose Life!
My prayer for all of us is that we will surrender to God in the Name of Jesus as we choose this day to be in the center of God’s will, his good, pleasing, and perfect will. (Romans 12 tells us how.)
In Jesus Name, Amen, Yes!
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 