Kimberly Gladden / Pastor of Small Groups and Singles
When was the last time something made you cry? And what was it you were crying about? A broken fingernail? An event that didn’t turn out how you planned? A disappointing sports performance? Well, in the book of Nehemiah we find him crying, but he’s weeping with good cause. Listen to his words in Nehemiah 1:1-4:
“…While I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” When I heard these things I sat down and wept…”
Nehemiah was in a place of privilege. He was a cupbearer for the King, and probably had a relatively comfortable life for someone in his station. Yet, when he heard about how bad things were in his homeland, he was moved to tears. And after mourning and fasting and praying, Nehemiah decided that he wasn’t going to just cry about what had happened in Jerusalem, but that he was going to go back and do something about it. It took a lot of courage to leave his position in the palace for the uncertainties of his homeland. Yet Nehemiah went to Jerusalem and amidst great opposition began to rebuild the torn down walls and address the disrepair.
The question comes to you and me – What makes us cry and is it worthy of our tears? While like Nehemiah most of us live in relative comfort, what do we hear that breaks our heart and what are we willing to do about it? One of my favorite sayings is “Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.” Recently, I’ve been lighting a few candles in the heart of the city of Buffalo and it is exhilarating to see a light flickering to bring hope to the discouraged. I am encouraged by Nehemiah’s example. He didn’t let his privilege in the palace drown out the jeopardy in Jerusalem. God gave him courage and favor to do something and he made a difference. May we too hear God’s heart about the thing that makes us cry.
“…While I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” When I heard these things I sat down and wept…”
Nehemiah was in a place of privilege. He was a cupbearer for the King, and probably had a relatively comfortable life for someone in his station. Yet, when he heard about how bad things were in his homeland, he was moved to tears. And after mourning and fasting and praying, Nehemiah decided that he wasn’t going to just cry about what had happened in Jerusalem, but that he was going to go back and do something about it. It took a lot of courage to leave his position in the palace for the uncertainties of his homeland. Yet Nehemiah went to Jerusalem and amidst great opposition began to rebuild the torn down walls and address the disrepair.
The question comes to you and me – What makes us cry and is it worthy of our tears? While like Nehemiah most of us live in relative comfort, what do we hear that breaks our heart and what are we willing to do about it? One of my favorite sayings is “Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.” Recently, I’ve been lighting a few candles in the heart of the city of Buffalo and it is exhilarating to see a light flickering to bring hope to the discouraged. I am encouraged by Nehemiah’s example. He didn’t let his privilege in the palace drown out the jeopardy in Jerusalem. God gave him courage and favor to do something and he made a difference. May we too hear God’s heart about the thing that makes us cry.