READ: Nehemiah 1:1-11
“And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed …” – Nehemiah 1:4
Are men interested in God? Quite frankly, my experience as a pastor leads me to think that people are not really interested in God. I find that most of the people who come to church on Sunday mornings are interested in themselves and in their own prosperity. They want to have good families, good cars, good homes and good futures.
Most people are not concerned about the church and its welfare. Most people give tithes and offerings when they think or feel it will benefit them somehow. This is sad and it makes me feel helpless and depressed.
But Nehemiah was different. Nehemiah was concerned about the church and people of God. He was concerned about Jerusalem and its welfare. He dwelt in the king’s palace and had a good job. He was a secure and blessed person needing nothing in that sense. And yet he was concerned about the house of God.
Listen to me, dear friend, one of the master keys to becoming a successful person is to be concerned about the house of God and its welfare. Be concerned about the church building! Be concerned about the church’s finances! Be concerned about the church members! This is the key characteristic that marked out Nehemiah and made him different from all others we read about in the Bible.