By 
We are indeed living in challenging times, the likes of which most of us have never witnessed before. Anxiety, fear, uncertainty, division, unrest, and despair are unparalleled. Our time seems extreme and unique because it’s the time we are living in and experiencing, rather than only reading or hearing about it. The fact is that since the beginning of time, challenges have been a stark reality for humanity.
The believer’s priority during demanding times is not to shy away from the issue at hand, but to ask and answer the question: How do I respond? (How can I be a part of the solution? What does God want me to do right here, right now? Where do I start? What do I do? How can I help make a difference?)
Certainly we have many examples in Scripture of those who met the troubles of their day head on, for the glory of God and the good of humanity. Consider Moses, Joshua, Esther, and David, to name a few. I’d like to briefly examine the response of another familiar biblical character in his time of challenge, in hopes of conveying the timeless application for us today.
In Nehemiah 1:1-5 we are introduced, for the first time in Scripture, to Nehemiah. We don’t get a lot of background on him. All we really know is that his father’s name was Hacaliah; he had a brother named Hanani; he’s in Persia as a result of the God-imposed exile of His people; he’s serving in the palace in the very prominent position of cupbearer to the king. While serving in the palace one day he gets a bad report from his brother Hanani and others who have just returned from Judah. The holy city of Jerusalem was in ruins. The walls had been burned down, the city was left defenseless, and the people were in disarray and distress. From Nehemiah’s response I believe we can learn a valuable lesson about how the believer (and the Church) should respond in times of challenge.
1.Have Compassion
First thing I think Nehemiah’s response teaches is that we must have compassion (feel something, be empathetic). When Nehemiah gets the troubling news in 1:4, he begins to weep and mourn intensely. In Nehemiah 2:4, months have passed and he’s still so disturbed that the king notices something is wrong. Of interest though, Nehemiah lived in Susa the citadel in the lap of luxury, totally unaffected physically by the destruction in Jerusalem which was about a 4-month journey away. Although he was unaffected physically, he felt deeply—both emotionally and spiritually.
Why should we feel something? The apostle Paul says: If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together (1 Corinthians 12:26, ESV). Remember too, those of us who claim the name of Christ have a mandate from God’s Holy Word to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 19:19, ESV). It’s important we have compassion.
2.Pray Without Ceasing
The next thing Nehemiah teaches us is that we must pray without ceasing. The second part of Nehemiah 1:4 (ESV) says that after Nehemiah received the news and began to weep and mourn, he continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. Prayer should be an automatic continuation of what’s already been happening daily, not just in times of trial. This was obviously not Nehemiah’s first time praying, and he continues to do what was normal for him even though the circumstances are somewhat abnormal.
Prayer is vital to the Christian’s life. It’s through prayer that we are able to commune with God. Prayer is our direct line to a sovereign and loving God, who Isaiah (59:1, ESV) describes as having ears that are not deaf and arms that are not short. We must remember to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5;17, ESV)!
Martin Luther said, “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Corrie ten Boom asks the question, “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” Prayer is the most powerful tool we have. Moses prayed and the Red Sea parted; Joshua prayed and the walls of Jericho came tumbling down; Gideon prayed and defeated 135,000 with 300; Elijah prayed and God sent fire followed by rain; Paul and Silas prayed in prison at midnight and the Lord sent deliverance in the form of an earthquake.
3.Keep the Faith
Thirdly we must keep the faith. Even among strong believers faith sometimes waivers in times of adversity, whether personal or witnessed from afar. Nehemiah faced a situation he could not solve by himself, but he also knew that “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26, ESV). The first line of his prayer in 1:5 confirms that he maintained his faith in and reverence for God: “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God.” He makes reference to God’s relationship with His people, His supreme authority, and His power and majesty. Nehemiah’s lesson to us: no matter how tough things get we have to remain steadfast in our faith, knowing that God is both sovereign and providential.
4.Do Something
Lastly, I believe Nehemiah teaches that it’s not enough to just feel something, pray, and have faith. We must also do something (take action). We’ve already agreed we have a mandate to love our neighbors. Love is an action word! We’re not only to love with our hearts, but also with our hands. In 2:5 Nehemiah decides to take action. He sets out on a journey, arrives in Jerusalem, assembles a team, rebuilds the walls in an astonishing 52 days, becomes governor, and re-instills hope to a people who have become hopeless.
So how should we respond to our current challenges? Feel something (have compassion), pray without ceasing, keep the faith, and do something (take action). When should we start or continue these timeless lessons taught by Nehemiah? There’s no better time than today!
TODAY by Ricky Garner
In all the history of the world there’s never been a day like today.
Today is a brilliant, unique, monumental, and historic day.
Never before have things lined up as they have today.
Never before have things been laid out as they have today.
Never before has the sun shone exactly like it shone today.
Never before have the birds sung the exact same song with the exact same melody as they sang today.
Never before have the children played and frolicked like they did today.
Never before have the waves of the ocean billowed and danced exactly like they did today.
Never before have the clouds painted their rich tapestry in the sky exactly the same way as they did today.
Never before has the universe aligned exactly and precisely as it did today.
Today is a treasure to behold.
Today is a wonder to extol.
Today is a bright shining gem.
Today, another reason to praise Him.
The bottom line—maximize the moment;
Tomorrow is promised not.
So give it all you’ve got today.
Today is all you’ve got!
Ricky Garner
Ricky currently serves as Pastor at Bethel Bible Church (Hope Campus) in Tyler. He is a native of Tyler and a graduate of John Tyler High School. He is also a U.S. Air Force veteran. Prior to returning home in 2014 after living in the DFW area for over 25 years, he served as Senior Pastor at Unity Baptist Church in Fort Worth for nine years. Most recently he served as Assistant Pastor at New Days Community Church in Tyler for 4 years before making Bethel his home in early 2019. His ministry has led him to preach and serve both nationally and internationally including Kenya, Japan, Greece and Sierra Leone. Ricky is a graduate of Texas College with a BA in Religion and has studied at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and currently serves on several boards in the community including Young Life Tyler, The Mentoring Alliance and The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce. In his spare time he enjoys traveling and playing golf. Ricky has been married to his wife, Jane, for over 34 years. They have four children and six grandchildren. 
