Nehemiah 13:30-31 – Being a God-pleaser

In these last two verses of the book of Nehemiah, we are given a summary of what he had done to put everything in the city of Jerusalem in order. Nehemiah 13:30-31 tell us firstly that he got rid of everything that was foreign thus purifying the people of God. Secondly, he appointed the priests and Levites to their respective tasks i.e. he set the priesthood and the temple servants in order. Thirdly, he make sure there was an ample supply of wood for the services in the temple. And fourthly, he arranged for the first fruit to be collected and distributed. Then he asked to be remembered by God in a short prayerful wish.

It is appropriate for us to consider the man Nehemiah and draw some lessons on serving God as we close our reflection on this book. Here was a man full of zeal for the Lord God. His one passion was to please and obey Him. Thus, he manifested extraordinary boldness and constantly encouraged and ensured that the people returned to obey God. He was a man who was not dissuaded by the opposition, but would instead put his trust in God to see Him through what he had set out to do i.e. to restore the city of Jerusalem. He fulfilled the work God had entrusted him at great expands to his personal inconvenience. In other words, he was willing to make personal sacrifices. Nehemiah was also a man who possessed great wisdom and would not come to the task assigned to him haphazardly. He paused and planned, fasted and prayed. He organized but he also agonized in prayer. There are many great organizers but not many great agonisers. But Nehemiah was both. What's more, was that he was also a man of the Word. Throughout the book, he shows himself to be a man of the Word. He stood as an excellent example for us of how we should serve and seek to please God. Like Nehemiah, we must live and work to please God. What a great way to be known!