Nehemiah: God's Broker Part 4

Nehemiah tried to mask over the turbulence raging within him. Fortunately, today was a day of brief service to the king. He knew that the demands of officialdom would allow the king only a short respite during the afternoon heat, and then there would be other things to occupy his time.

That meant Nehemiah would be relatively free to go about his business. His business this afternoon and into the night would be to knock on heaven's gates until he got an answer. He had learned something about his God. The Almighty did not seem to mind being nagged by his kids. And nag he would. If Divinity didn't like it, Divinity would let Nehemiah know, or give him an answer.

The king had eyed his cupbearer with a longer than normal deliberation but then his gaze had passed on to those in his company. The queen however, was watching him intently. Why were women always so much more perceptive?

Nehemiah found himself in his quarters an hour later searching the presence of heaven. Hanani had said they needed someone to ‘move in authority; sheep without a shepherd' was the phrase he had used, twice actually. The hours went by; dinner was missed but not felt. Sometime in the night, when all in the city was quiet, Nehemiah began to feel as if the answer to his petition was calling at his door. Curiously, there was a thin veil of reluctance that accompanied the answer to his petition. He paused in spirit for just a moment; pressing forward was going to change his life forever. However, the alternative of retreating into the familiar and known was now totally unacceptable. With that decision made, the sealed gates of understanding eased open allowing bright light to engulf the kneeling figure.

I think there is a beautiful picture given to us in this early part of Nehemiah's adventure. If we just scan the surface of his situation with a spiritual eye, we can pick up a couple of interesting bearings.

Here is a man who spends his life in the presence of the king. Though there may not have been what we would consider to be momentous interaction, nevertheless the hours were logged. Days, months, years in the presence. Waiting at the hand. Learning to read the desires. Studying the slightest indications of intent.

I was around and had hands-on experience with banana plants for several years. Actually I had nine different varieties in my yard. After a time, one acquires an eye for the growth stage of the plant. More specifically, you can see when the flower is about to shoot forth from the heart of the plant. When that happens, it begins to gradually open ‘petal' at a time, revealing miniature green fingers. These in time will fill out and become candidates for ‘chiquita' stickers, DQ splits, and potassium worshippers.

Right before the flower actually comes forth, there is this slight swelling in the ‘throat' of the plant. Its not discernible to the newcomer. But, it's there and you know that it won't be long.

Nehemiah has been in the presence of the king long enough, that there is now a lump in his throat. Putting roots down in the same soil on which the throne rests is going to cause the lump. There is something about spending hours there that starts the flower, and thereby fruit, on the outward- bound journey.

Years ago I purchased a second-hand guitar from a pawn shop in Albuquerque New Mexico. I knew it was a great buy the moment I saw it. The brand name is Epiphone.

That company was acquired by the Gibson guitar company several years ago. Since that time Epiphone became a lower line offering for those who wanted Gibson quality without the monthly payments. In those days, the only basic difference was the label and the price tag. The parts and quality were almost identical. In fact, when doing some maintenance, I noticed that all the parts had “Gibson Guitar Co.” stamped on their undersides. What is stamped on your underside? It may be very different than the label you display. Of so much greater worth; your true identity. Time logged in throne proximity brings us to ‘heart in our throat' discoveries of who we are.

There is another element that must fit in the mix if we are to discover calling/vocation. We'll take a quick peak soon.