17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” 18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. (Nehemiah 2:17-18 ESV)
It is easy in this life to get discouraged and want to just give up. This is what the leaders in Jerusalem had done. Their city wall laid in ruin and they had no strength of will to complete the repairs. At this time a city was only as strong as its walls and gates. There were many peoples waring with one another and both the city’s pride and its protection laid on the strength of its walls.
Our walls can get broken down, our gates no longer holding the world back lay open and in ruin letting everything in. The Lord can be our protection in times like these. However, He expects us to build back our walls and gates as well. We are not to give up and give in, just whimpering in a corner waiting for God to rescue us. He wants us to build back our personal strength in Him alone, allowing Him to fortify us as needed until we are strong enough to stand on our own beside Him.
This is not a building of ourselves to be so self sufficient that we do not need God. No, it is so that we may realize that our strength resides in Him and that the walls and gates are built upon the strength of our faith in Christ alone.
