Nehemiah: God's Broker Part 8

The Good Hand

Nehemiah cinches the deal—well God does, by giving him favor in the sight of presiding royalty. Months of agonizing before the Lord has erupted in a flurry of response from heaven. Certainly an angelic SWAT team descended, secured the perimeter, whispered and reasoned in ears, tilted hearts, procured decisions, and then lifted leaving the scratching of heads and sunlight streaming in through opened doors of destiny. So what was the purpose of agonizing? Convincing God that this might be worthy of His attentions and investment? Nehemiah tidying up his act so God might consider a petition from such a sinner? No, no. It was all for the building of Nehemiah’s faith. One word shows it all:

Neh 2:6-8

6 Then the king said to me (the queen also sitting beside him), "How long will your journey be? And when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time. 7 MOREOVER I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of the region beyond the River, that they must permit me to pass through till I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel which pertains to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house that I will occupy." And the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my God upon me.

Faith will always take us ‘OVER’ and procure ‘MORE’. Faith takes me on a ride that leaves the well constructed safety of my aspirations and expectations of the possible. There was some distance from which Peter, in his best-fisherman-years-of-experience-not my-first-rodeo lunge, could not make it back to that boat. Faith’s threshold. I don’t know that there is such a thing as a faith pro. By definition you are covering the personally uncharted when you saddle up for the faith posse. ‘A way you have never been before’.

Nehemiah senses the atmosphere and presses his advantage. His vision is not “I think I can get there”; no, he has blueprints in the brain. That’s apostolic. His list of needs includes benefits for God, the folks, and himself. Aren’t those numbers 1 and 2 in the roll call of Most Important Commands? (Mt 22.37-39)

The cupbearer has done his part of moving by faith, thus allowing God to do His part which is being pleased to give away kingdoms. Not to be outdone, the Almighty flexes just a smidge and throws in a contingent of cavalry, thus maintaining His reputation of ‘above all we ask or think’.

Note: Please, please…..BOTH of His hands are good. Don’t go around the self-centered, infinite circle of ‘the other shoe’s gonna fall’ trap. The word refers to the OPEN hand of God indicating Power, Means and Direction! So saith Mr. Strong.

Even when we are tried, it is with this goal in mind:

James 1:2-8

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

NKJV

In God’s book its all about giving to His kids!