A Devotion for Fallen Walls

When we lived in North Carolina, my husband and I lived across the street from a family that eventually become some of our best friends.

The Roberts family, Will and Chelsea, and their 2 young children became such a part of our everyday lives as we shared all the things that are in short supply for broke grad students and young, married couples. We shared meals and groceries, lawnmowers and household tools, traded babysitting favors and helped one another with jobs big and small around our homes.

When we moved from Durham after 7 years, there was barely a part of each other’s houses that the other family hadn’t touched: even our long-suffering kitchen renovation was finally completed thanks to hours of our combined blood, sweat, and tears.

We often said our projects had two different timelines: the timeline of us doing the work ourselves (a much longer one, with minutes squeezed in between baby’s naps and seminary classes) OR the neighbor timeline (a shorter one with projects being knocked out in a weekend afternoon). We joked that painting our son’s nursery took 5 months and 2 hours. 5 months of trying to get it done ourselves and 2 hours of actually doing it, with our friends’ help.

Our household projects were small feats in comparison to what God called Nehemiah to: he was tasked with restoring Jerusalem after its walls had lain in ruin for 150 years (Nehemiah 2:3–5, 12). He led the people in arduous work despite the challenges: mockery, the temptation of sin, even violent attacks.

Throughout Nehemiah’s leadership, God equipped him and his people to remain firm. United in a common mission, they were able to remain resolute in their efforts and completed a daunting task in just fifty-two days.

Nehemiah’s ability to overcome challenges and remain committed to the task of rebuilding was grounded in a knowledge that God appointed him to the task. His sense of purpose energized the people to follow his leadership despite unbelievable opposition. Moreover, Nehemiah and the people were able to complete a seemingly impossible task because they were united in a common purpose: to rebuild and restore what had once been broken.

When God charges us with a task—whether to repair a relationship or a roof, lead a team or counsel a client —we are not left to our own devices. We are sustained and energized by God, and by God’s people. The work of recovery can seem darn near impossible, with the weeks and months of work seeming to loom before us.

But when we remain united in a common vision with our teams, ask for help when we need it, and rely on one another throughout challenges, like Nehemiah and his people, walls can be rebuilt, and lives restored.

What is keeping you from finishing the task before you today? Does it seem insurmountable? Are you trying to do it alone?

Brick by brick, nail by nail, we’ll get there together.

Grace and peace,

Chaplain Amy