When Brokenness Breaks Your Heart
Nehemiah 1
Hello and welcome to Van Life Devotions.
It’s probably happened to you. That moment that you received news that broke your heart? Was it a phone call about someone you love, a report of suffering nearby, or the realisation that someone you care about is struggling. Sometimes the brokenness around us becomes so real that we hardly know what to do with what we feel.
Nehemiah understood that experience. He is one of the great leaders in the Bible. He was one of thousands of Jews who were living in Persia (which is modern day Iran). About 90 to 100 years earlier Judah was attacked, its buildings, temple and its mighty walls were all flattened, and thousands were taken as captives to a foreign land and forced to live a new life. Nehemiah was born during these hard years but rose amongst the ranks in the courts of the king of Persia.
One day, Nehemiah heard devastating news about Jerusalem: its walls torn down and the returned exiles were living in disgrace and distress (Nehemiah 1:3)
Jerusalem was more than a city to Nehemiah. It represented his people, his heritage, and the place where God's name was honoured. When he heard of its brokenness, it broke him. The Bible quoting Nehemiah says, “When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven”.
Nehemiah did not rush into action, blame others, or complain about the difficulty.
He prayed. In chapter 1, he acknowledges God's greatness and confesses the sins of his people (Nehemiah 1:5-8).
And then Nehemiah acknowledges from the writings of Moses that it is God’s Will for His people to live in the land that He promised if they obey God (Nehemiah 1:9-10).
What often breaks our heart breaks God’s heart.
Perhaps God has placed a burden on your heart for a family member, your community, or various situations in our world. Recognise that God’s heart breaks for them too.
In this series, we will see the proactive steps Nehemiah took and how God restored what was broken.
When God places a burden on your heart, remember: His heart is breaking too, and together with you, He may well restore what is broken.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You that You care about the brokenness in our world. Give us hearts that are sensitive to the needs of others. When we see suffering, help us not to turn away, but to turn towards You in prayer. Show us what we can do and give us courage to take the next step. Use our lives to bring hope, healing, and restoration. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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