Nehemiah 2:2-3: Fearful yet bold

Neh 2:2-3 - I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"

A paradox is observed in the verse. The normal reaction of one who is fearful is to hide, to be silent or even be reticent. In the case of Nehemiah, he was frighten yet responded with boldness. He was able to tell the king that the cause for his sadness was the situation in Jerusalem. What many don’t know is that by making such a statement before the king could cause his life and that is why he delayed in speaking to the king. Yet this man did not succumb to his fears but stood up for what he believed in.

The question arises. Can a leader be afraid? Nehemiah was. It is natural reaction for anyone to react in fear. When you hear of any distressful news, the human body is wired in such away that a rush of adrenalin stimulates the sensors to respond negatively. Only don’t let the fear degenerate into despondency but rather it must produce a counter response in boldness.

David is a case in point. In Psalms 42:11, David was disturbed and cast down, probably in fear of what King Saul was trying to do to him. Yet his response was similar to that of Nehemiah. “Hope in God”. How is this possible? Fear can only generate boldness if one has:

  • Unwavering love for God. Nehemiah’s love for God, for the city of Jerusalem and for the Jews forced him to voice his allegiance to the God of Israel and to his forefathers at the risk of losing his own life. It was the love for their master that the once frighten disciples were eventually willing to lay down their lives for Him. It was the love for the Father, that the Son, “humbled himself and became obedient to death even death on a cross”. Phi 2:8.
  • Unwavering hope in God. Looking at the life of Nehemiah, his hope was in God and that is why he made that amazing prayer in chapter 1. It was this hope that made him say “let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel”. He realized that God was in control for “ all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” Rom8:28

  • Unwavering passion for God’s people. Nehemiah knew he was a Jew and his people were suffering. He also knew they were God’s chosen people with a special relationship, Neh 1:10 - "They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand”. That passion drove him to intercede before the king, Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"

Passage raises some pertinent questions about my relationship with God?

  • Is my love for God that strong?
  • Is God really my hope?
  • What about my passion for the lost?
1 Tim 1:7 - For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

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