I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king's words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, "Let us arise and build." So they put their hands to the good work.

Nehemiah 2:18 NASB

To better understand how Nehemiah arrived at this moment, we must first go back in time.

We read in 2 Kings 25:1 how "Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army." What follows in the coming days would lead to the destruction of Jerusalem and leave many of its people dead or in exile.

2 Kings 25:21 conveys the stark reality of what had transpired.

"…So Judah went into captivity, away from her land."

Decades later, we arrive at the story of a man named Nehemiah.

Nehemiah asks Hanani about the state of Jerusalem and how those who had survived are doing.

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."

Nehemiah 1:3 ESV

Nehemiah was immediately moved to tears. He spent the next days weeping, mourning, praying, and fasting before God. After this period of repentance and seeking God, Nehemiah summons the courage to speak to the king, requesting to be sent to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls.

Nehemiah shares an interesting fact about himself in Nehemiah 1:11. He reveals that at the time, he was the cupbearer to the king. A cupbearer in Bible times was a trusted high-ranking court official whose main duty was to serve the king, ensuring that his drinks were not poisoned by tasting them first. If I can be honest for a moment, that sounds like a really terrible job.

However, it was this job that opened the door for Nehemiah to have favor with the king and to have his request granted. Divine placement may not always look like divine placement, but we can be certain what when we are in God's will, we are exactly where we need to be.

Nehemiah took a few men with him, and gives them a rousing pep talk.

Then I said to them, "You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach." I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king's words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, "Let us arise and build." So they put their hands to the good work.

Nehemiah 2:17-18 NASB

The task was daunting, but these men made the decision to build.

Are you walking an uncertain path right now? Are you facing a trial that feels unchangeable? Whether it be in ministry, life, work, or relationships, you can rest assured that if you set your hands to the good work, God will be walking alongside you. Keep pressing on, taking one step at a time.

Favor is on your life.

Devotion by Caitlin Walker