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GOD’S TIMING IS GOOD TIMING (NEHEMIAH 2:11-3:5)LENT DAY 20

REFLECTION

The theme for our reflection is God’s timing is good timing” Timing means the choice, judgement, or control of when something should be done. God’s timing is good timing” means God’s choice for our lives or His approval and intervention with regards to events in our lives is worth it. In other words, before we plan and embark on a project, we must rely on God for guidance, providence and execution of our plans. Nehemiah was a God-fearing and patriotic Israelite who was a cupbearer in the Royal Court of King Artaxerxes I of Persia. He felt called and compelled to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the broken walls that had been destroyed during the Babylonian invasion many decades ago. He asked permission and the King granted his request. Our focus in this reflection is to see how God was actively involved in Nehemiah’s leadership in rebuilding and restoring the wall and pride of Israel. We shall reflect on the fact that God’s timing is good timing because His gracious hand is upon us and He is the giver of success.

Firstly beloved in the Lord, God’s timing is good timing because His gracious hand is upon us. Nehemiah confirmed this fact when he said to the people “… “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace. ” ¹⁸ I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. (Nehemiah 2:17-18). Dear friend for us to succeed in life, it is not by our strength, skill, education and exposure, it is solely by the grace of God. When we put our trust in God, we shall experience His gracious hand upon our lives, It is for this reason that the Lord said to Paul in his challenging moments “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9). We must understand that Nehemiah was of no noble descent and occupied no official rank in the King’s court in the Persian empire but because the gracious hand of God was upon him he stood out and found favour in the eyes of King Artaxerxes. Again, because the gracious hand was upon him, immediately arrived and spoke, the people listened and responded to his leadership. We move by the grace of God and not by our plans and thoughts. We must have plans, work toward the execution of our plans but most importantly rely on God because God’s timing is good timing through His gracious hand upon our lives. David described the gracious hand of the Lord that makes His timing good in our lives when he wrote “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil,
for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. ⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalms 23:4-6) Regardless of the opposition of Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab (Nehemiah 2:19), Nehemiah was unstoppable and never discouraged because he moved and led under the gracious hand of the Lord. Why are you doubting your ability to rise again after you have failed? Why are you afraid to begin rebuilding the broken walls in your life? Are there any Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem discouraging you? Remember you are not alone in the turbulent storms of life, trust in the Lord and begin to put in your maximum effort for His gracious hand is with you and His timing is good.

Secondly, God’s timing is good timing because He is the giver of success in all our endeavours. Nehemiah drew our attention to this fact when He answered Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem, saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it. (Nehemiah 2:20). Anytime we embark on any good or godly venture, we must have faith that the God of heaven will give us success. It is for this reason, we are greatly assured by God in Jeremiah 32:27, “I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” Dear friend, I do not know what you are going through as you read this reflection, but I believe and have experienced in my life that sometimes our lives are like the broken walls of Jerusalem but if we put our trust in the Lord like Nehemiah, those broken walls in our lives shall be rebuilt. Broken walls of finances, health, relationships, unemployment and business shall be rebuilt and restored to the glory of God! Let us walk by faith and bring our burdens before the Lord, “for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13) May the Lord make you the Nehemiah of your family and your generation to rebuild the broken walls in your family, church and society. Praise the Lord!

In summary, we have reflected on the theme “God’s timing is good timing” We have discovered that God’s timing is good timing because His gracious hand is upon us and He is the giver of success.

PRAYER
Almighty God, in You we put our hope and faith. May Your gracious hand continually rest upon us to rebuild all the broken walls in our lives. Amen.