“And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.”” (Nehemiah 2:5, ESV)
We always think that someone else will go. We are busy people. We got our lives to live. There are certainly other people out there who will have the time, the money, and the heart to serve. So we wait. We pray. We let others go.
Nehemiah was radical. Nehemiah says, “send me.” There are countless examples of people who were much less willing. When God called Moses, Moses said, “send someone else to do it” (Exodus 4:13). Then there was Jonah who ran in the other direction.
There are more people who will say, “send someone else.” This is why Jesus teaches us to pray earnestly for Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the harvest. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few (see Matthew 9:37-38). The are always more who will stay than those who will go. But Jesus invites us to go. He invites us to come and follow him (see John 12:26). Don’t make prayer in an excuse for inaction.
Nehemiah could have complained about the broken walls in Jerusalem. He could have rationalized that there were other people in a better place and better equipped to do something about it. He could have concluded that it was not his problem.
But Nehemiah raises his hand. He says, “send me.” There were certainly doubts. It would be a big change. It would be overwhelming at times. There would be opposition. It was a big job and would not be easy.
But Nehemiah knew it was the right thing. It was the thing that he needed to do. God had placed this calling on him to go. It was the only thing that he could do. Nehemiah realized that there was no one else. God had called him to stand in the gap.
Reflection
- Where is God calling you to raise your hand and say, “send me”?
- Why do you think that few people are willing to serve?
Prayer
Lord, I know you have placed a calling upon my life. You have called me to make a difference. You have called me to go, to serve, and to lose my life for the sake of the kingdom. Give me the courage to volunteer, to donate, and to lead where I need to lead. Help me to overcome my doubts and take hold of the life to which you have called me. Amen.
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