Where do we go from here?

That seems to be the question of the day! After all, we have a world pandemic, protests for racial injustice, political divide and logistical challenges for day to day life. Words fall short lately to adequately express what I am thinking and feeling about the racial tensions in our nation. My silence is not indifference, but rather grief and a choice to listen. As we reap what we have sown as a nation that has disrespected and disregarded God’s gift of life, the devastation can feel overwhelming. The efforts to repent, re-think, forgive and rebuild are daunting when the anger and systemic problems run so deep.

My mind keeps wandering to Nehemiah. He was a leader in the Bible who was felt led to clean up a mess he didn’t personally make, simply because it mattered to God. Nehemiah had a good job as a high-ranking official (Cupbearer) to King Artaxerxes of Persia. He had not lived in Jerusalem, but rather was born during the years of exile after the Israelites were disciplined by God for their disobedience. The Jewish people had been attacked and taken into captivity by the Babylonians for seventy years. They were scattered among the nations and Jerusalem was nearly destroyed.

The book of Nehemiah begins on a seemingly ordinary day when one of Nehemiah's brothers, Hanani, from Judah came to see him in Susa. Nehemiah asked Hanani about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile and returned to Jerusalem. The remnant of people who survived the exile had been returning to their native land, a place that once represented the presence of God. This ordinary day turned into a life changing moment for Nehemiah and a nation.

Hanani told Nehemiah,

“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 burned with fire.” Nehemiah 1:3

Nehemiah cared enough to ask, and his response teaches us a valuable lesson. He chose a posture of listening, mourning, fasting and prayer.

"When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’

“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” Nehemiah 1:4-11

Nehemiah started by stopping! He changed the rhythm of his life to mourn, fast (sacrifice) and pray. It seems he knew this problem was too big for him and his brothers to solve on their own, yet his heart was deeply burdened for the trouble and disgrace of people. He chose to confess his sins and the sins of his father’s family, acknowledging the actions of wickedness before he was even born that had led them to the place of distress in his present day. Nehemiah was willing to humbly approach the Lord believing that He cared too.

That posture of repentance was the first step of a new beginning. Eventually, Nehemiah left his good job to help rebuild what mattered to the Lord. It all began by caring enough to ask, to listen, to recognize wickedness and humbly approach the Lord for next steps. When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he spent time examining the devastation before the rebuilding began. Let's consider Nehemiah's approach to -ask, listen, sacrifice, humbly pray, examine the devastation and then rebuild- together as a community who acknowledges and prioritizes what matters to God. Yes, black lives matter to God and to me.

Believing in new beginnings,

Mary Beth

June 15, 2020