FAITH CAPSULE: It should not always be about self alone, but rather it should be about those who we encounter along our way.
Nehemiah 1
When it is time for God to promote you, every remote control of the enemy over your life would be rendered redundant. Nehemiah was a non-entity. He was neither a prophet nor was he the son of a prophet. He was an ordinary cupbearer to the king in the Persian palace. He got to where he was because he was a captive. One thing was clear about Nehemiah: he had the concern for Jerusalem’s welfare and its inhabitants at heart. Nehemiah, a cupbearer with big heart desired a better life for his brethren. If a cupbearer could effect great change, all of us with that are having life should be able to do the same. God saw Nehemiah’s heart and He acknowledged him. God in His awesomeness invested in him as a vessel for reconstructing the broken wall of Jerusalem. The report of what was going on in Jerusalem caused a burden in Nehemiah’s heart and he began to intercede on behalf of the land and his people. Nehemiah 1:3-4, “And they said to me, ‘The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.’ So it was, when I heard these words that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.” Nehemiah poured out his heart in prayer on behalf of his people and his homeland. He asked for nothing that had to do with himself, but rather petitioned for things that had to do with a better life for his people. God is a God whose eyes are always traveling to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong. (2 Chronicle 16:9) Nehemiah’s heart was in line with what God was looking for. Is your heart self centered? Jeremiah 17:9 confirmed that, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?”God alone knows every heart and He will not overlook both good and evil heart. It becomes a serious issue when a believer begins to seek for self only. Bible encourages, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) If you will begin to center your heart on all that will glorify God, He will not limit your exploit on the face of heart. Nehemiah desired for his people and God deposited in him what it takes to bring glory to the name of God. A cupbearer turned the issue of his nation around. It should not always be about self alone, but rather it should be about all who comes our way.
Prayer for today: The grace to seek You first in every step, let it become of me O Lord.