Nehemiah
knew where God was leading him, so while he waited patiently in executing the
plan, he wasted no time putting it together. There were numerous considerations
to be taken into account. How long would the rebuilding take? Would the project
be undertaken all at once or in stages? Who would provide the labor required
for such a monumental task? How would the laborers be paid and housed? In all
of these questions, it should be noted that Nehemiah didn’t equate faith with a
lack of preparation. In other words his attitude was not, “I trust God; he will take care of the details.”
That
Nehemiah was meticulous in his preparation is evidenced in his response when
the opportune moment arose. Upon sharing his vision with Artaxerxes, the king wanted
more information before making a decision: “How long will you be gone, and when
will you return?” (2:6a). Scripture doesn’t record Nehemiah’s exact answer, but
we can be sure of what he didn’t say –
“I’m not really sure yet, but I’ll be back whenever I finish.” This was the
king of Persia, the most powerful man in the world. He didn’t deal in vagaries or
imprecisions; his empire had not been won by ambiguous ideas, but by calculation
and foresight. Any proposal that did not reflect equal deliberation was sure to
be vetoed. Nehemiah, then, had to demonstrate the credibility of his plan in
clear, precise terms. And his ability to do so earned the king’s approval
(2:6b).
Not
only was he prepared with a timeline, he also managed to secure from the king carte
blanche to travel across the empire and gather needed building materials. Artaxerxes
even went a step further, providing a military escort to Jerusalem. All this
was, of course, the result of God’s favor (2:8c). But it was also the product
of Nehemiah’s thoughtful efforts.
Nehemiah’s
example underscores an important truth: Visions do not become reality through
whims or wishes. One may begin with desire, but that is only the seed. If it is
to flourish, aspiration must be married to determination. The work of a visionary
is just that: work. Speaking into existence what doesn’t yet exist is not the
domain of the lazy. It is hard, back-breaking, callous-laden labor.
Furthermore,
believing is not synonymous with aimless waiting. Trusting in God and laboring
for a desired end are not mutually exclusive pursuits. Before a building can be
constructed its foundation must be laid; a footer is dug and poured and block is
stacked. In construction terms, the foundation rests on virgin ground – hard,
compact soil that is undisturbed and will bear the building’s weight. In
visionary terms, laying a stable foundation requires breaking new ground. This might
necessitate digging deep, past tradition and preference and comfort to a base
undisturbed by assumption. Or it may mean a complete shift, a relocation of
priorities and goals. Whatever the case may be, the fact remains that vision
inhabits the realm of impossibility so long as it has no underpinning in
reality. As Jesus said, only fools build without a firm foundation (Matthew
7:26-27).
My
father-in-law once shared a story of his own experience with me. He dreamed of
building a two-car garage on his property. But a large tree stood on the site
of his planned construction. So he cut it down. Later, when the town was replacing
curbs along the property line, he asked them to put in a wide curb cut where
the driveway would be. He had not begun building, but in a very real sense he
was already laying the foundation; he saw what could be and began to make room
for it. Today, a large garage stands in the place once inhabited by a vision
and its obstacles.
Friends,
what labors is God calling us to? Where is he telling us to plan, to dig, to see
past what is to what could be? Let us not shy away from industry, but partner
with him building the Kingdom here.
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