Being a Nehemiah
Being a Nehemiah
“All things are possible to them that believe.” [Mark 9:23]
Nehemiah chapters 2 and 3 describe the prophet Nehemiah inspecting the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down and the gates burned by fire. He surveyed the ruins of the city to see just where there was need for rebuilding, and to create a plan to do so.
Self-introspection is not typically a part of most people’s Christian walk.
We may realize we have sinned and fallen short in some way, and so we ask God for forgiveness. We may do this on a regular basis, but the question is, are there traits in us that create repeated behaviors that we need to address?
King David said “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.” [Psalm 139:23-24 NASB 1995]
Earlier and that same psalm he says,
“O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” [Psalm139:1-7 NASB1995]
This causes me to Remember the plank and the speck parable:
“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” [Matthew 7:2-5 NASB1995]
We read this verse in cautions us about judgment, but I have to ask myself. Am I willing to look for the speck in my own eye?
What I would like to suggest is that we both do this today and on a regular basis, and ask God asking David did is there any wicked way in me?