Faith Acting
Nehemiah 2
Chapter 2 begins with the words, “And it came to pass.” Nehemiah had been greatly humbled, feeling the sorrow and ruin that sin had brought in among the people of God, and God had heard His dear servant’s prayers. He knew his sorrows, and He (as in the days of Moses) was about to use Nehemiah as a deliverer—it was about to come to pass.
God also hears and answers parents’ prayers in His perfect time and way. Perhaps the answer to Nehemiah’s prayers, at first, may have seemed to him as no answer at all. He was so saddened by the news he had heard, so affected by it, that even his service for the king suffered and the king noticed.
Though sorrow of heart (vs. 2) is the beginning of the rebuilding and protecting process of families, grief shouldn’t characterize a Christian home.
Parents, rightly concerned about the world in which they raise their dear children, must be careful that the home not become a place of continual tension, sorrow and anxiety. If that happens, children may look to the world to find security and happiness they are denied within their home.
Nehemiah’s heart was rightly saddened, but realizing he had caused unhappiness in the palace, he casts himself on the Lord “so I prayed to the God of heaven” a source of infinitely greater power than the Gentile king. Nehemiah received an immediate answer to his instant prayer (Rom. 12:12). This same unchanging God of love who controls all is still our unfailing, divine resource. Parents can fully rest in Him, knowing that in every circumstance and trial of life His purposes of blessing will come to pass.
Telling It Like It Is
God’s answer to Nehemiah’s prayer gave him courage to tell the king exactly what was troubling him, as well as wisdom to ask permission to help those he loved good principles for our homes.
Parents can plainly, lovingly tell their children (without excessive anxiety or sorrow) about the enemy seeking to destroy the home God has given them. At the same time, parents must, by example, show that the Bible and faith are their resources for grace, power and wisdom to withstand the enemy.
Every Need Provided
God abundantly answered Nehemiah’s prayer, and he will abundantly answer yours, dear dad and mom! Ask largely for what is needed to preserve your family from the enemy’s attacks! Our blessed God is a liberal and freehearted Giver! “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32).
“According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3).
The king granted Nehemiah authority, protection and materials that he might go back and rebuild Jerusalem (Neh. 2:59). God has granted Christian parents the same things (the Word of God applied by the Spirit of God) to build, strengthen and preserve the family. But energy of faith and diligence are required to use the materials God gives to build and defend your family and home against attack.
Immediate Opposition “When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel” (Neh. 2:10).
The moment Nehemiah appeared, possessing the king’s authority and command to rebuild God’s city, the enemy also appears, grieved that someone had come to help the oppressed people of God.
Parents need to soberly realize that there is an enemy—one who is very real—who is grieved with any and every desire to build and maintain (in separation from the world) a godly Christian home where children may flourish in a healthy spiritual climate, one which promotes their growth and welfare.
Don’t expect the world to applaud, encourage or help further the spiritual desires you have as parents to act on the Word of God in protecting your family. Rather, you can expect misunderstanding, disdain, hindrance, and even anger displayed against your efforts to separate from that world which is intent on destroying your home and family.
Sadly, some of the strongest opposition may, at times, come from Christians who have made this present world a comfortable dwelling-place. They live as Lot, who thought Sodom looked better than the wilderness where his uncle lived. Yet it was Abraham, dwelling there, who enjoyed fellowship with God, while Lot, living in Sodom, came under attack from its corrupted citizens.
Dear dad and mom! Though you must be aware of Satan and his power, you need never give in to him or be paralyzed and unable to act for God because of fear. Learn well (and put to use) the wonderful, blessed lesson of diligent separation from this “present evil world.” Such separation results in sweet communion with the Father (2 Cor. 6:17-18).
The Need for Understanding
“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds” (Prov. 27:23).
Dad and mom, you can’t effectively preserve your family and home unless you really understand (in the measure that we, as mere human beings, are able) the conditions of this world and the dangers arrayed by Satan against you and your family.
David had followers servants who were described as having “understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” (1 Chron. 12:32). Parents, you must be like that having an understanding of these present times (though always remaining “simple concerning evil”) in order to know how to guide and protect your children.
How to Gain Understanding
But how can parents gain this vitally necessary insight and discernment?
When God sent Ezekiel to cry against the self-willed Israelites, he first had to come to where they were he entered into their circumstances “dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days” (Ezek. 3:15). To gain an understanding of the times, you must trouble yourselves to go where your children are, to sit there observing the conditions they face for seven days (God’s perfect time), to get firsthand knowledge of the world they face.
God was directing Ezekiel to pronounce strong and solemn words of denunciation against His beloved but rebellious people. Yet those words and the spirit in which they were uttered were to be tempered by the prophet first entering into and understanding their sorrows and difficulties.
To morally sit where your children sit requires that you maintain a constant, loving and tender dialog with them (as well as maintaining prayerful communion with the Lord). You must daily trouble yourselves to know in reality what your children face and what they are thinking (Prov. 27:23).
For example, are they attending public school? Dads and moms! You’d better spend time in their classrooms seeing what goes on there carefully read the textbooks they study; know the activities they are involved in know what your children face in their world! This does not mean that you need be occupied with evil (Phil. 4:8), but you must, as the prudent parent, recognize the dangers in order to hide yourself and your children (Prov. 22:3; 27:12).
Feed yourself and your children daily with the richness and sweetness of the Bible. Being filled with the pure and good neutralizes the poisons of this world. Eat hearty! “Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good” (Isa. 7:15).
Ed.