Risking Much, Part I

At my church, we have been studying the book of Nehemiah together on Sunday mornings. Reader, you will recall that Nehemiah was a cupbearer to Artaxerxes I, the king of Persia. Nehemiah then goes to Jerusalem to inspect the broken down walls. The purpose of the book is to record the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon and rebuilding of the walls around Jerusalem. Most had grown up in captivity, most did not understand what it meant to be Jewish. They matured in a culture of mixed marriages, which led to mixed beliefs. This led to a strong possibility of being assimilated out of existence. However, we see Nehemiah taking a strong stance to safeguard the Jews. Yet, we need to realize that this was not only a cultural problem—it was a spiritual problem, too. Nehemiah understood this and took action. In chapters one through seven, Nehemiah centers on the building of the wall. You will see that chapters eight, nine, and ten deal with returning to the traits that identify the people spiritually. These marks were confession, community, and repentance.

For those who belong to God, these qualities must be evident. Yet, these qualities require us, as believers, to engage in risky behavior--to open ourselves up to the possibilities of ridicule, shame, and scorn from our peers. Yet, if we do not risk much, we will not be able to see the rewards that are associated with the risk. This life that God promised us as believers will never be easy. That is a given. Yet, he does desire for us to have an abundant life. However, the believer who does not engage in the actions of confession, community, and repentance, will find that their lives are left wanting and empty.