As Christians, we are called to be God’s hands and voice in the world. The needs around us are many, and God often shows us where He would have us join Him in His work by placing a specific burden on our heart. But given the fact that we must rely on God’s sufficiency and not our own in order to accomplish His work, and the fact that we will likely face obstacles and opposition when we take a stand for Him in a broken world, exactly how are we to respond when we sense His call?

Nehemiah had an overwhelming burden for the plight of the Jews in Jerusalem. When told of the distress of the people and the deteriorated condition of the city, Nehemiah “sat down and wept, and mourned for many days” (Nehemiah 1:4). In his actions following this, Nehemiah demonstrated five aspects of a godly and obedient response to a call on one’s life. In each of these, Nehemiah showed us the importance of continually looking up to God rather than around at our circumstances.

Begin in Prayer
Unbroken fellowship with God, and a right view of His omnipotence and character, are essential first steps in any endeavor. J. Gordon Henry speaks of prayer being the work which must be done before any other work can begin, and James 4:8 tells us to “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Nehemiah began his response to God’s call by fasting and praying for many days, asking for God’s attentiveness, and recounting God’s previous promises for provision and protection (1:4, 1:6, 1:9). In this way, he established a right perspective and a firm foundation for success in the work ahead.

Step Out in Faith
As cupbearer to the king, Nehemiah was often in his presence. But in his subservient position, Nehemiah generally did not have the privilege of speaking to the king about his concerns. It was only through faith that Nehemiah had the opportunity … and the courage … to share his burden with the king and seek his support for addressing the needs of the Jews (2:3, 2:5, 2:7-8).  Nehemiah had faith that he was walking in God’s will, and therefore confidence that God would intercede on his behalf.

Remember That the Battle is the Lord’s
Ephesians 6 reminds us of the spiritual nature of the battles that we face, and in John 5 Jesus says that even He does only the work which the Father would have Him do. Nehemiah asked and expected God to act and left the outcome to Him (2:20, 4:4-5, 4:14-15, 4:20). By remembering that the battle was not his to fight, Nehemiah relied on God’s strength and will instead of his own.

Do Your Part, With God’s Help
Even though the battle is God’s to fight, He does require us to do our part. Nehemiah stood firm in the knowledge of who he was in God’s eyes, and asked God to provide him with the strength he needed (6:9-11). Psalm 90 contains a
similar plea for God to “establish the work of our hands” (v. 17). Obedience to God always involves a willingness to do more than sit idly by and watch Him work; we must be available for God to work through us.

Give God the Glory
The rebuilding of the wall in Jerusalem was accomplished in a way which only God could have done. Nehemiah 6:16 tells us that the surrounding nations recognized that God was with the Jews, and thousands of years later the rebuilding of the wall still stands as a shining example of how God can work in His people’s lives. We must always remember to give God the glory for all good things.

God is at work in the world today. As He places burdens on our hearts to join Him, maintaining an accurate view of the nature of our enemy, the power of God, and our role in assisting with His work will enable us to obediently follow His leading and accomplish His will for His glory and for the furtherance of His kingdom.

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