"And they said to me, 'The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.' As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven." Nehemiah 1:3-4 (ESV)
Following years of captivity in Babylon, the Jews were returning to their homeland from what was now Persia.
When Nehemiah, who was still living in Persia, asked concerning the Jews back in the Jerusalem he received some bad news. The walls were broken down and its gates destroyed by fire. Something happened in Nehemiah that very instant that would change his life and history.
When he heard that God's holy city lay in ruins, he couldn't live with it. He was overtaken by a holy discontentment.
Discontentment can be a really good thing. It's okay to be discontent when most people in the world have never heard the gospel, when we're not regularly seeing people saved and changed, when we're not growing spiritually, when we're not living in revival. Some things are worth being discontent about!
Nehemiah's discontentment led to:
1. Prayer (1:4)
- What are you discontent about? Do you see an injustice that needs setting right? Do you see a need that no one else is supplying for? Chances are, God is discontent with it as well. How do we get a vision for what God desires? Through prayer. Ask him, "What do you want me to do?" and ask for the power and guidance to accomplish the task.
2. Action (2:5)
- Nehemiah could have said, "Well that's too bad about my people back home. Maybe someone will do something about it." He might have even prayed like some of us, "Lord, please send someone to do it." Did he have a pity party or pass on responsibility to someone else? No. Instead he said, "No way, José!" He did something about it. He set out to build the wall. We cannot pray, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done" if we're not willing to do what it takes to see His Kingdom come and His will done.
3. Sacrifice (1:11)
- Nehemiah was the King's cupbearer. He had all the fine food and wine he could ask for. More than likely he had a place in or near the palace! He had it made. But his discontentment led him to leave it all. Would we be so willing to leave the comfort of our palaces to go and build the kingdom of God?
At this point in my life, God is burning discontentment in my heart. I don't want to be satisfied with the way things are. I can't be satisfied when people all around me don't know Christ. I don't want to live my entire life and never see genuine revival. I don't want to waste my life not seeking His face!
Are you content with things the way they are? Then get on your knees and don't get up until you're broken.
Are you content with things the way they are? Then get on your knees and don't get up until you're broken.
Are you discontent? More than likely, God has placed this burden on your heart. You have received power to do God's work if the Holy Ghost has come upon you (Acts 1:8). Let's rise up and build!
