A Time to Rebuild

A Time to Rebuild

On this date each year, the world remembers destruction. But the full story of any disaster includes both the moment of loss and the long work of rebuilding. Nehemiah surveyed the ruins of Jerusalem at night, alone, before he spoke to anyone about rebuilding. He assessed honestly what had been destroyed. He prayed. He approached the king. He gathered the people and shared his vision. And when he did, they responded: 'Let us start rebuilding.' The response to destruction is always eventually the same: we go back to work. The question is always who leads the rebuilding and from what source of courage.

Nehemiah 2 is one of the great rebuilding narratives in Scripture — and it applies to more than architecture. Every person, every community, every generation has a Jerusalem that needs rebuilding — some system, relationship, or structure that has been damaged or destroyed. Nehemiah's approach is instructive: honest assessment of the damage (he goes at night to see the ruins without optimism), prayerful dependence on God, bold ask from those with resources, clear vision shared with the people, and willingness to do the work. 'The gracious hand of my God was on me' — the rebuilding is God's project, and His hand makes it possible. Whatever has been broken, it can be rebuilt with His hand on you.