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A HEART FOR SERVICE (I)
THURSDAY, JANUARY 1
Nehemiah 1:1-4

Mark 10:42-45

 

“And whosoever of you
will be the chiefest,

shall be servant of all.”

 

A HEART FOR SERVICE (I)
 
The book of Nehemiah is set in the period of the Israelites’ return to Israel from captivity in Babylon. The return of the people was not just a physical one to their ancestral land, but also a spiritual one, in their relationship with God. The story of Nehemiah is one of service to God and fellow men. It is the story of an “incidental leader” who did not actively seek to be a leader, but who became a leader through circumstances and the providence of God. Thus, the book presents to us “The Principles of Christian Service and Leadership.”
 
As I was in Shushan the palace (Neh 1:1). The book begins as it were an autobiography, with Nehemiah giving his account of the circumstances that thrusted him into service for God and his fellowmen. In giving this account, Nehemiah gave us a glimpse into the heart of a servant. The picture we have is that of a diligent man with a caring heart. The circumstances that opened the door of service for Nehemiah were not extraordinary ones. They were ordinary, normal and common everyday circumstances.
 
I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped (Neh 1:2). Nehemiah was concerned about the returnees from exile and the state of Jerusalem, and he showed this by asking after them. In most languages, greetings are given in question form. “How are you doing?” “How is your family?” and so on. However, when we do ask, do we ask out of formality or out of real concern? Nehemiah’s part and service in the building of the wall of Jerusalem, the reforming of the abuses that existed, and the spiritual revival that took place in conjunction with Ezra, were born out of the common questions he asked Hanani and the “certain men of Judah.” What, to many of us, would be fuel for gossip and tea-time stories, or would be forgotten as soon as we part ways with those telling us, was to Nehemiah the starting point of a journey of service and leadership that he himself did not know would unfold as is recorded for us in Scripture. A heart concerned for the things of God and the people of God will surely find opportunities to serve God and fellow men for the glory of God!
 
THOUGHT: (Read 1 Corinthians 15:58.)

PRAYER: Give me, Father, a servant’s heart!

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