A Calvin Theological Seminary Publication by Students & Alumni
Nehemiah is a funny book

Nehemiah is a funny book

You have two books with, basically, the same story. Ezra likely, mentions Nehemiah, and Nehemiah describes Ezra as the one reading the law. However, I’m not here to discuss the historical dating of Ezra and Nehemiah; I simply think it’s a funny… thought?

This time going through the book, I was struck by one of Nehemiah’s favourite phrases because of the spiritual leadership lesson for pastors and pioneers in the church today.

“Remember me, God.”

This statement is profound because Nehemiah asks a perfect God to remember an imperfect human who also represents an imperfect people (Israel/Judah). In Nehemiah, you’ll find this phrase in different variations. All of them relate to Nehemiah himself, or one other variation where he says:

“Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me ( Ne 6:14. NIV)

From this otherwise grim call to remembrance by Nehemiah, the rest are related to Nehemiah himself.

Nehemiah had his work cut out for him.

Nehemiah had a challenging group project. And yes, I’ve had difficult ones… 5 years of post-secondary tends to bring some challenging projects. Nehemiah was tasked with bringing the people of God back to the city of God. And the people didn’t exactly grow from their past mistakes.

They proved their hearts weren’t right with God, even after exile.

How so? Because they married foreign women. Well, not entirely. When Israel came to conquer the land of Canaan, one of God’s reasons to command chastity towards women of the land wasn’t so much the people but the temptation to worship the gods of the foreign nations because of emotional entanglement.

The conquest of Canaan wasn’t due to racism but idolatry.

All this being said, what is the point of Nehemiah’s repeated prayer to God:

“Remember me, God.”

In every instance of this phrase (Ne. 5:19, 13:14, 13:22, 13:31), Nehemiah is bringing this prayer to God after accomplishing something or confronting something (As per the two verses I omitted from Nehemiah 6:14-15). 

Nehemiah recognized something that pastors and leaders mustn’t miss.

Nehemiah recognized that the reward for faithfulness was not found in the fruit of the people under his charge but in the faithfulness of Nehemiah.

In the past, I believed that the fruit of my ministry (no matter the context) depended on the progress/instant sanctification of the people under me. However, we can glean a valuable and relieving truth from Nehemiah’s prayer.

Don’t base your spiritual success on the spiritual progress of your people. Instead, stay faithful to God in your leadership and shepherding.

Remember me with favour, my God, for all I have done for these people.

Nehemiah 5:19 NIV

~ Gavin Schaefer

33,185 Comments

  1. Great video! I love that Gluco6 is all about promoting healthy glucose
    metabolism naturally. I’m dealing with afternoon energy slumps and craving sweets—it’s reassuring to learn there’s an option that helps manage blood sugar levels without relying
    on medications. Definitely going to give it a shot!

  2. I’ve been looking for something to support prostate health without prescription meds, and ProstaVive sounds ideal.
    I like that it combines well-researched ingredients like saw palmetto, nettle root, zinc, and pygeum to reduce inflammation and improve urinary flow.
    Plus, hearing that it may also support hormonal balance
    with Panax ginseng and maca root makes it feel like
    a well-rounded formula
    prostavive. Definitely worth considering

  3. We absolutely love your blog and find the majority of your post’s to be exactly what I’m looking for. Do you offer guest writers to write content to suit your needs? I wouldn’t mind composing a post or elaborating on a number of the subjects you write about here. Again, awesome weblog!

  4. Beach volleyball is a fun and exciting sport played on sand, usually at the beach. Each team has two players who work together to keep the ball off the ground and send it over the net. The game requires strength, speed, and great teamwork. Players dive, jump, and spike to score points while the sun and wind add extra challenges. Beach volleyball is popular around the world, especially in summer. Many people play it for fitness, socializing, and relaxation. Professional tournaments, like the Olympics or the FIVB World Tour, attract top athletes and large crowds. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, beach volleyball offers an energetic, enjoyable way to stay active and have fun by the sea.

  5. Unquestionably believe that which you said. Your favorite reason seemed to be on the net the easiest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed while people consider worries that they plainly don’t know about. You managed to hit the nail on the head. Will probably be back to get more. Thanks

  6. That is really fascinating, You’re an excessively skilled blogger. I’ve joined your rss feed and look forward to in the hunt for extra of your magnificent post. Additionally, I’ve shared your website in my social networks!

  7. Hey! This post couldn’t be written any better!

    Reading through this post reminds me of my previous room mate!
    He always kept chatting about this. I will forward this
    page to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thanks for sharing!

  8. It’s the best time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be
    happy. I have read this post and if I could I want to suggest you some interesting things or suggestions.
    Maybe you can write next articles referring
    to this article. I wish to read more things about
    it!

  9. I dont think Ive caught all the angles of this subject the way youve pointed them out. Youre a true star, a rock star man. Youve got so much to say and know so much about the subject that I think you should just teach a class about it

  10. Hey there would you mind letting me know which web host you’re working with?
    I’ve loaded your blog in 3 different web browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot
    quicker then most. Can you recommend a good web hosting provider at a reasonable price?
    Thanks, I appreciate it!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *