Those who risk their all on the Lord may find they lose everything only to gain everything.
It was a monumental act of faith on Nehemiah’s part to ask if he might leave his post to rebuild Jerusalem’s city walls. And what sacrifice to give up the palace for the hardships that lay ahead! In this he joined those noble souls from Moses and Jesus to many modern missionaries who are memorialized for “choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God” and “esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures” within their grasp (Heb 11:25-26). To his cupbearer’s request, the king asked, “‘How long will your journey be? And when will you return?’…and I set him a time” (Neh 2:6). Here we find common cause with this ancient believer. We also are on a journey to “the Jerusalem above” (Gal 4:26), and there is both a task for us to accomplish and a time limit until we see the King again. Have we heard our Master say, “Do business till I come” (Lk 19:13)? Now Nehemiah grows bold, and adds, “Furthermore I said to the king…” (Neh 2:7). Here we must pause. Do you recall what Ezra decided in this situation? “I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, ‘The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him’” (Ezra 8:22). On the other hand, Nehemiah felt free to request a letter for safe passage, “a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest” for lumber (Neh 2:8), and “captains of the army and horsemen” as protection (v 9). Yet he, like Ezra, believed the blessing was “according to the good hand of my God” on him (v 8). Another reminder that “each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore” (Rom 14:12-13) in the way we serve the King.