When the Babylonian empire attacked God's people in Jerusalem, the city, the temple and the wall around the city were destroyed. The wall had been a symbol of strength for God's people and now, broken down, it was a symbol disgrace and weakness. It was a sign of their broken relationship with God. Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall and thus restore Israel's sense of identity as God's nation.
In the Bible, Nehemiah chapter 3 describes the start of rebuilding the wall under Nehemiah's leadership. The phrase next to him or next to them is repeated 19 times in that chapter, describing God's people lined up along the wall, shoulder to shoulder working together to do their part to restore what sin and the enemy had taken from them.
This is a picture of the Lord's vision for his Church; men and women, each doing their part, working side by side to build God's kingdom in this broken world. Does this describe your church? Where Jesus is at the center of church life and out from that Center in all directions you can see a man doing his part and next to him a woman pitching in and next to her. . .
Have you found your place on that wall?
The Parson's Bench
No comments:
Post a Comment