August – September 2026: The Book of Nehemiah
On Tuesday 18th August we begin a brand new series of Daily Inspirations – in the Book of Nehemiah. It’s a riveting tale of someone being called by God to do something amazing – and then doing it! Nehemiah is a wonderful character, full of faith, wisdom and practical common sense. Let’s journey with him over the next three weeks or so, and be inspired by his example.
Note: all Inspirations are now uploaded until Saturday 29th August – scroll down for all posts from Thursday 20th August onwards…
Saturday 29th August – Psalm 13 ‘The Overcomer’
Every year our city of Milton Keynes hosts a marathon. One of my good friends was running in it this year, his first marathon at the age of 56. Thankfully he made it, and he popped in afterwards for a cup of tea – I had offered a celebratory protein shake, but he went for tea (good decision).
He admitted it had been really hard. He’d never run further than a half-marathon, and was really feeling it after 15 miles. He was also raising funds for a church repair project, which only added to the pressure – thinking of all that sponsorship money which might be lost if he quit. But he got there, and whilst he expects to be hobbling for the rest of the week – and will never run another one! – he can enjoy the satisfaction of having battled with his body, and overcome.
‘How long?’ So today’s Psalm begins – a cry every marathon runner knows well! It’s also been a recurring theme already in the psalms, appearing in Psalms 4, 6 and now for a third time in Psalm 13. It’s a cry of the heart, and one that anyone who prays for anything that really matters knows well.
David testifies to all the emotions that I’m sure many of us have experienced, too when troubles are ongoing: mental conflict (‘wrestling with my thoughts’ vs), sorrow (v2), a feeling of failure (v2), and even wondering if life is really worth it after all (v3).
What we don’t find out in this Psalm is whether David gets the answer to his prayer. But he does get something else, perhaps even more precious: he is reminded of the Lord’s unfailing love, and rejoices in his salvation (v5). There is more at play than his current circumstances. Despite everything, David counts his blessings, because he knows that the Lord has been good to him (v6).
It’s not a magic cure, but this kind of attitude does set everything in perspective. Life is hard, and although specific answers to particular challenges are always welcome, what we really need is the assurance of something deeper: of the abiding presence of God, of his consistent goodness, of the fact that we are loved and saved, despite our flaws, our failings and our foibles.
This is what enables David to overcome, day by day. It is the recipe for us, too. So, today, keep offering your heartfelt prayers to God, don’t be afraid to cry ‘How long, Lord?’ – but also take a few moments to anchor yourself in the eternal consistency of God’s character: his unfailing love, goodness and salvation. Those who do always overcome.
Friday 28th August – Psalm 15 ‘The Blameless’
We take a brief break from Nehemiah to enjoy a couple of Psalms (today and tomorrow) which connect with some of the themes of Nehemiah:
As a family we used to love the game Jenga. You may be familiar with it: a stack of wooden blocks is created and, little by little, blocks are removed from the stack and placed on the top. The stack gets higher and higher, and also more and more fragile. Eventually the slightest tremor, the tiniest shake of the hand causes the stack to fall, and that person is the loser.
Sometimes life can feel like a game of Jenga. What feels like the solid stack of our existence slowly gets undermined. Things go wrong unexpectedly, relationships struggle, we face illness, uncertainty or some kind of hardship – each challenge is like a block that gets removed, and our ‘stack’ gets more and more fragile. Soon we fear that the slightest shake will cause it all to collapse.
In times like this, how do we stand firm? How can we ensure that we are not ‘shaken’? Today’s psalm addresses this very question. It proceeds from the premise that the best place on which to base the ‘stack’ of our lives is God’s holy hill (v1) – something strong, immovable… so the question then becomes: ‘Lord… who may dwell on your holy hill?’ (v1)
The answer lies in the way we live – and let’s note that this is not a recipe for activism or a self-help manual. This is more about the direction of our lives, the way we set our priorities. The person who can stand firm, who will not be shaken, will be righteous with both their words and their actions. So, they speak the truth (v2), do not slander or cast a slur on others (v3); they also do no wrong to their neighbour (v3), lend generously without advantage to themselves (v5) and refuse bribes (v5).
The phrase that I found most striking when preparing today’s inspiration was this: (v4) ‘who keeps an oath even when it hurts’. This is where words and deeds come together – can we fulfil with our actions what we’ve promised with our lips, even when it’s costly? I found myself thinking about the little promises we all make on a daily or weekly basis. Am I someone who can be trusted to do what I promise?
It’s a challenge; but also an opportunity, because it carries a great reward – this is the punchline of the psalm: ‘whoever does these things will never be shaken.’ If you’re anything like me, I want the kind of life that can weather the storms, that can cope with blocks being removed from my stack and not be shaken. Here’s the key: if we live with integrity, we find the Lord’s blessing. We get to place our stack on the immovable mountain of the Lord.
May the Lord grant us all grace to live like that today – and, whatever we face at present, to trust that, held fast in the Lord’s hands, we will not be shaken.
Day 9, Thursday 27th August – Nehemiah 5:14-19 ‘Practising what we preach’
‘I can’t change the world; but I can change the world in me.’ This is a line from an early U2 song, and it’s always stayed with me. As we concluded yesterday, what Nehemiah tackled 2,500 years ago is still just as prevalent today, only on a much bigger scale. The possibility of change feels so distant – what can any of us possibly do to see the sort of renewal Nehemiah was aiming at?
This is where I take heart from that line in the song: I can’t change the world, but I can change the world in me. The one thing I can do, regardless of world events, is make good choices about how I live. Revolutions happen one person at a time. The kingdom of God grows one person at a time. If enough of us practise humility, generosity and integrity then the world starts to change.
Nehemiah knew this. He knew that he had to practise what he preached, in order to see real change. But I get the feeling that he would have done it anyway, regardless of whether other people noticed; for him, integrity was ultimately a matter between him and his Lord: (v15) ‘Out of reverence for God I did not act like that.’
For Nehemiah, this meant refusing the perks of power: he didn’t eat the governor’s food for the whole time he was there, which turned out to be twelve years (I wonder if King Artaxerxes knew it would be that long when he agreed?!). Interestingly, despite this commitment being lived out over a such a long period, the food was still prepared for him every day (v18). Instead, it was used to feed a large number of others (v17), which included those who were not officials i.e. those who really needed food. Nehemiah turned his humility into generosity, something he was glad to do ‘because the demands were heavy on the people’ (v18).
The leadership lesson here is that true leadership requires humility, integrity and self-sacrifice – something we ultimately see confirmed and modelled in Jesus, 450 years after Nehemiah. Again, let’s pray for more leaders in public life committed to these ideals. However, there’s a general principle here. Change begins with us. Nehemiah had huge challenges to deal with; he could have seen the food allowance as a perk, a reward for all the stress. Instead, he chose humility and generosity, and his personal integrity blessed dozens of people, before he even went to work.
Let’s pray today for the grace to emulate Nehemiah; to change the world in us, and trust the Lord for the rest. And may we echo Nehemiah’s short final prayer, with faith and gratitude (v19) ‘Remember me with favour, my God.’
Day 8, Wednesday 26th August – Nehemiah 5:1-13 ‘No peace without justice’
The title for today’s reflection comes from is a famous slogan popularised by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa in the 1990s. The point is that, unless fundamental issues of justice are addressed within a society, even great changes which appear to improve peace are superficial. It’s no use giving people the vote if they can’t feed themselves, or find employment. Or, in the case of Jerusalem in the fifth century BC, there’s not much point rebuilding the city walls if most of the inhabitants are still being exploited by a small minority of people with power and wealth.
It appears from the text that many of the city’s (and region’s) Jewish residents had been sold into slavery since the conquest and exile more than a hundred years previously. Part of Nehemiah’s more comprehensive plan for the renewal of his homeland was to buy back their freedom (v8). This would be vital if effective self-government was to be restored and the economy revitalised.
Yet, at the same time he was doing this, Jewish nobles were still exploiting their fellow countrymen, charging excessive interest so that loans could never be paid back; taking their land and property and forcing them to pay inflated prices just to live there – in other words, keeping them effectively as bonded labourers. In extreme cases, they were still selling those who could not keep up the repayments as slaves to other powerful non-Jews (v8).
Such practices were explicitly forbidden by Jewish Law, the law God gave to them via Moses 800 years earlier. However, we only have to read the Old Testament prophets to know that greed and exploitation were common among the people, and indeed formed much of the reason why Israel was consistently warned by the prophets about the coming judgement if they continued to tolerate or even encourage such inequality and injustice. Nehemiah knew that a new wall was a sticking plaster, unless the people started living as God had always planned for them to live – in willing obedience to His commands.
So, when the poor of the area come to him in desperation, he tackles it head-on. Note first, though, that, despite being ‘very angry’, he takes time to reflect and plan his response (vv6-7, a wise practice for us to observe in passing). Then he challenges the nobles and officials, using two main arguments: first and foremost, it is against God’s law (v9). Second, he himself is practising integrity, refusing to charge interest on the loans he gives (v10) – which is also part of the Law.
The exploiters had no answer to that; they couldn’t hide behind the excuse which is usually given to justify greed and immorality: ‘everyone else does it, so why shouldn’t we?’ Nehemiah’s integrity shamed them into change, something which Nehemiah wisely corroborated with an oath taken in a public assembly (vv12-13).
Reading today’s story, we could be reading about our own age; sadly, the greed and self-interest of a small powerful elite continue to drive world affairs. Oh, that more of us had Nehemiah’s courage and integrity to effect change! It may feel hopeless at present; but let’s be encouraged by the fact that God sees, and knows, and will one day put things right; and in the meantime, let’s pray that God would raise up Nehemiahs for our own day, and that the spirit of Nehemiah would renew our own public life and society.
Day 7, Tuesday 25th August – Nehemiah 4:7-23 ‘Facing opposition (2): Actions’
It is a sad fact of human nature that, in the end, the will of ‘the flesh’ tends to resort to brute force to achieve its ends. ‘Might is right’ has caused untold suffering over the centuries, but nothing much changes under the sun. Our ‘civilised’ world today has more wars currently than for eighty years, and no doubt as many as there were 2,500 years ago, in the time of Nehemiah. Our sinful nature doesn’t really change – unless God intervenes, which of course is the heart of our good news.
It is perhaps almost inevitable, therefore, that the initial success of the rebuilding project, as described yesterday, leads to the fourth and most severe level of opposition – actual physical threat: (v8) ‘They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem.’ This was particularly alarming given two specific practical challenges: first, weariness – (v10) ‘the strength of the labourers is giving out’; and second, over-stretched capacity – (v19) ‘the work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated.’
Again, Nehemiah’s response is both prayerful and practical: (v9) ‘But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.’ In fact, this courageous and common-sense approach is fine-tuned with two further tweaks: everything is organised into shift patterns, so that some work while others guard (vv16-18), round the clock if need be (v22); and a watch is posted with an early warning system (a loud trumpet!), so that if one place is attacked, the guard can move quickly along to defend it (vv18-20).
As we see day in, day out, Nehemiah’s approach is a wonderful blend of faith and planning: ‘Pray as if everything depended on God; act as if everything depended on you,’ is a maxim which we can see brilliantly illustrated in Nehemiah’s case… except that Nehemiah never loses sight of who ultimately delivers success: when he gives a much-needed pep talk to the tiring workers, he points their gaze upwards as well as outwards: (v14) ‘Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome.’ Similarly, he reminds those who might have to fend off attacks: (v20) ‘Our God will fight for us!’
Nehemiah chapter 4 is a model of how to stay both faithful and fruitful under intense pressure. You may be in such a season; if so, be inspired by Nehemiah’s wisdom and witness. If not, then take a moment today to pray for Christian leaders everywhere. Their task of partnering with God in building His Kingdom may be a spiritual rather than a physical one, but it requires much the same mindset and many of the same skills and gifts. May we all have grace to ‘remember the Lord, who is great and awesome,’ and may this inspire our work, however great or small, today.
Day 6, Monday 24th August – Nehemiah 4:1-6 ‘Facing opposition (1): Words’
In 1787 the young MP William Wilberforce first proposed the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade in the UK parliament. Over the next twenty years he would submit this same bill fourteen times. On each of the first thirteen times the bill was rejected and Wilberforce was subjected to vitriolic opposition, both to his character and his cause. A famous example of this opposition came in April 1791, when the (ornately-named) Colonel Banastre Tarleton described the horrendous conditions of slave ships as ‘hideous phantoms of imaginary woe’ and ‘descriptive flights of a towering imagination.’ Eventually, in 1807, the bill passed, and his biographer notes the extraordinary atmosphere in the House of Commons, as ‘quite out of order, three hurrahs echoed and echoed while he sat, head bowed, tears streaming down his face.’
Most great tasks for the kingdom of God will face opposition. It is notable how this opposition develops to Nehemiah’s remarkable work: from initial anger (2:10) to accusations of disloyalty (2:19) and now to outright ridicule: (v2) ‘What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble – burned as they are?’
We’ll see tomorrow how the final stage of this growing opposition was actual physical threat; today, though, we’ll focus on the power of words, and particularly scorn, as a tool of discouragement. Just as with Wilberforce, notice how the verbal opposition attacked both their character (‘feeble’) and their cause (‘heaps of rubble’).
These voices were from actual opponents; however, it’s worth observing that for many of us, such voices come from within. We question whether we are up to the task; whether we have the resources to manage it; whether we will fail and bring shame upon ourselves and perhaps more importantly, upon God.
Nehemiah’s approach was twofold: first he prayed: (v4) ‘Hear us, our God for we are despised.’ In the light of the New Testament, we may not be able quite to echo the sentiments of this particular prayer, but the key point is that Nehemiah asked God to intervene on their behalf. We are not to be agents of judgement; we leave that to God, and trust both our protection and prevailing to Him.
Second, to prevent the people getting discouraged, he set an achievable target, something to aim for as a first stage: ‘So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height.’ The result was encouraging: ‘the people worked with all their heart.’
When we face voices of opposition, either within or without, it’s easy to be discouraged. Today, let’s take heart from Nehemiah’s example, asking God to uphold us, and setting ourselves a manageable target. Great buildings are built, one brick at a time.
Day 5, Saturday 22nd August – Nehemiah 3:1-32 ‘Everybody matters’
OK, I admit it – this was probably quite a turgid read today! A long list of who built what along the length of the wall. There are some fascinating titbits along the way, though: the fact that some of the upper classes felt that the work was beneath them (v5); on the other hand, Shallum’s daughters put the nobles to shame, by rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in (v12). Even the priests joined in the collective endeavour (v28).
What’s the basic point here? Everybody matters. Everybody has a part to play. This wall was not built by experts, but by a significant chunk of the whole population giving their time and energy, each playing their small part; together, hundreds or even thousands of ‘small parts’ achieved a great task.
In church, we encourage people to find their true gifting, and that’s absolutely right. However, there’s also a flip side to that coin: God values everything we offer, and sometimes a willing offering of some time, enthusiasm and basic hard graft is exactly what’s needed. No doubt there were leaders and experts in charge; many of them are listed at the start of each paragraph (and let’s take a moment to note again how amazing Nehemiah’s leadership skills were, that in such a short space of time he could identify and galvanise such a large group of people). However, all these figureheads needed people to (literally) do the heavy lifting.
Someone once observed to me that 50% of discipleship is just turning up; and the older I get and the longer I stay in Christian leadership, the more I think that person was absolutely right. This side of heaven, we’ll never know the names of Shallum’s daughters who helped to repair the Tower of the Ovens; but, like all the others who joined in this momentous task, they gave what they could, and the Lord blessed it.
Mother Teresa observed: ‘We cannot do great things; we can only do small things with great love.’ What small thing can you do today? Where could you give a bit of time and enthusiasm this week – or simply ‘show up’ as an encouragement to somebody?
Everybody matters to God; everybody matters in the work of God’s kingdom. May God bless the work of your hands today, this week and always.
Day 4, Friday 21st August – Nehemiah 2:11-20 ‘Weighing the task’
‘Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, “This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.”’
Nearly five centuries after Nehemiah, the Greatest Teacher of them all shared this wisdom with those who were listening. His message: weigh the cost; follow through with your intentions; finish what you started. He was talking about the decision to follow Him; but in practical terms, it could just as easily apply to any great task to which the Lord calls us.
As we have seen, Nehemiah had such a task, a calling. He had the king’s favour and the opportunity to tackle it. However, the fact that his initial prayer had been answered, and the door opened, was no excuse for him to just ‘wing it’; in today’s passage we see how Nehemiah prepared thoroughly for the great task set before him.
First, he settled in – note that it was three days (v11) before he began his survey, and at this stage he told no-one about it. Second, he surveyed the scene. He went out and inspected every metre of the walls (vv13-15). He wanted to know exactly what was required, before the third stage, which was… he shared his vision: (v17) ‘Then I said to [the officials]: “You see the trouble we are in… Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”’ Note that Nehemiah wisely focuses more on the outcome of success (the vision i.e. honour and a renewed reputation for God’s people) than the task itself.
This achieved its desired effect, and the people were ready to get on with ‘this good work’ (v18). But there is a fourth stage, which will prove increasingly important as the narrative develops: Nehemiah stayed resolute. Opposition from other locals who stood to lose by the renewal of Jerusalem starts to get louder and more insistent (v19); however, Nehemiah is ready to respond. He knows his history, as well as what is required for this task: (v20) ‘You have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.’
As time progresses, we’ll see how the opposition becomes fiercer and more intimidating; more on that in a few days’ time. But today, let’s be inspired by Nehemiah’s purposeful planning and preparation. God equips those He calls; but he also expects us to play our part – to prepare ourselves, weighing the cost, following through with our intentions and forming a determination to finish what we started. Whatever the Lord is doing in you and with you at present, resolve again to co-operate fully and faithfully; and trust that as you pray, plan and prepare, He will open the doors, equipping you every step of the way.
Day 3, Thursday 20th August – Nehemiah 2:1-10 ‘Royal favour’
Being miserable at work is a risky business. Nowadays, those risks are probably more to do with our wellbeing and likelihood of promotion (the PIE method attributes 30% of your promotion prospects down to projecting a positive persona); in the court of King Artaxerxes is would have been downright dangerous. Bear in mind that Artaxerxes was one of the most powerful rulers who ever lived, presiding over a large empire for more than forty years (465BC-424BC); a man who murdered his brother to make sure he seized the throne after his father’s untimely death; a man whose drinking bowl, one of which still survives – housed in the British Museum – and therefore might have been held by Nehemiah (how cool is that?) bears this inscription: ‘Artaxerxes, the great king, king of kings, king of countries, son of Xerxes the king, of Xerxes [who was] son of Darius the king, the Achaemenian, in whose house this drinking cup/saucer was made.’
To be in the presence of this ‘great king, king of kings’, it was not advisable to look miserable. And yet, Nehemiah had to get his boss’s attention. It’s risky, but extremely clever: if the man who is responsible for your safety is looking sad (v1), then you need to know why, right?
We can only speculate whether this was a plan formed over a long period – this is four months since Hanani’s visit – or whether Nehemiah was particularly moved on this day; either way, the crucial moment comes… and is successful. The King is sympathetic, and, like the strong, decisive ruler he is, gets straight to the point: (v4) ‘What is it you want?… (v6) How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?’ What an amazing opening! Nehemiah is blessed with royal favour: he gets permission to go (v6), letters of safe conduct (v7), materials he can use to help with the project (v8) and soldiers for security (v9). (He also has enemies, now, too (v10) – but we’ll come back to that.)
There is, however, another king involved here. Nehemiah has not just royal favour, but Royal favour: (vv4-5) ‘The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king…’ Beneath the visible circumstances, another Hand is guiding all things. The king of kings is unwittingly doing the business of the King of kings.
It is sometimes hard to see the hand of the Lord at work; but we believe in a God ‘who works all things for good to those who love Him.’ Nehemiah knew the Lord’s favour, and the door opened for the great work to which God had called him. Today let’s pray for all of us feeling a similar call, to any kind of kingdom work: for favour, and open doors. If that’s you, take heart! If that’s not you currently, then join your prayers with those who are, in faith that the Lord will be glorified. All the Lord’s work ultimately needs Royal favour.
Day 2, Wednesday 19th August – Nehemiah 1:1-11 (ii) ‘A prayer for the ages’
The famous 19th-century evangelist Dwight L Moody was once asked: ‘if you knew that the Lord was coming back in 25 years, how would you spend it?’ Moody replied: ‘I’d spend the first 20 years of that time in prayer.’
When I first read that a few years ago, I found it profoundly challenging. I am inclined to be an activist. I like to get lots of things done in a day, and find a certain satisfaction in ‘being busy’. But – as my old mentor used to asked me – am I busy, or fruitful? And what would turn the former into the latter?
There are a number of answers to that question – but you’ll have guessed what one of them is!
As we take a second look at the first chapter of Nehemiah, we need to admit that Nehemiah is rightly known as a person of action. He wouldn’t be the king’s cupbearer if he wasn’t. The rest of the book likewise makes it abundantly clear that he is someone who gets things done – usually quickly and displaying great organisational skills. Nehemiah is often used as a model for leadership – and rightly so.
But, before he is a person of action, Nehemiah is a person of prayer. His first response to the news about his homeland is striking: (v4) ‘For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.’ He doesn’t just do something, anything – he seeks the Lord. He waits on God, he prays. He needs to know what the Lord’s will is – and then he acts.
Nehemiah’s prayer is one of the great prayers of the bible – a model prayer, you could say. If you like to use the acronym P-R-A-Y to help you pray, then this prayer is a perfect biblical example:
P – Praise: Nehemiah begins (v5), ‘Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God…’ Nehemiah thanks God for his faithfulness, before he does anything else.
R – Repentance: (vv6-7) ‘I confess the sins… we have acted very wickedly…’
A – Ask: (vv8-9) ‘Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses… if you return to me… I will… bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
And finally, having done all that, we get to the practical prayer for himself:
Y – ‘Yourself’ (v11) ‘Give your servant success today by granting him favour in the presence of this man.’
It’s a wonderful prayer, and we don’t have to wait long to see what happens – the very next chapter, which we’ll look at tomorrow. But as we reflect today, may Nehemiah’s example inspire us in our prayers. It’s right to ask God for things, Jesus encourages us to do exactly that; but the central focus of our prayer is always the Lord himself. Nehemiah retains a profound awareness of the greatness of God, and this makes him both fervent and bold in prayer. May we, too, pray as he did – for whatever is on our hearts today.
Day 1, Tuesday 18th August – Nehemiah 1:1-11 ‘Moved to act’
In the winter of 2010, I was living in Bristol and was asked to lead a group from church to organise the weekly Saturday lunchtime soup run for the city’s homeless. I was co-leader of a 20s group at the time, and our group duly turned up one cold day in December at the gathering point near the main shopping centre. It was a couple of hours which changed my life. It’s hard to put into words now, but I had a profound sense that each face I looked into as I served out the soup was the face of Jesus. It felt like holy ground.
After it had finished, I called my wife to say I was on my way home. ‘How was it?’ she asked. I couldn’t reply – I just wept on the phone. Six weeks later, I was leading a team to help at the Wild Goose Café, Bristol’s brilliant café which serves the homeless, the first evening of a regular commitment with which I would be involved for the rest of my time in Bristol.
Why did that soup run touch me so deeply? I can’t really say; I had helped at a homeless shelter in the past, so it was something close to my heart – but that had been more than ten years ago, so truthfully it had not been a ministry priority for a long time. And then I agreed to help with one event…. and everything changed. I knew that in that season I had to act, I had to respond.
Maybe you’ve had a similar experience. It could be about anything – but there was a moment when something which had lain dormant in your heart suddenly awakes. It is this kind of experience which inspires the wonderful little book of Nehemiah which we begin today.
The book dates to the period when Israel has been conquered by Babylon and many Israelites are living in exile. By the time we get to Nehemiah, it is the mid-fifth century BC, in other words well over a hundred years since the destruction of Jerusalem. Several generations of exiles have lived in Babylon, 900 miles from their homeland. However, things are stirring. Fourteen years previously (458BC) Ezra the priest had led a return of the Levites and restored the religious life of the Jews (as they were now known – from the name Judah, meaning ‘praise’). Word now reaches Nehemiah via one of his brothers that, although the priests are presumably still performing their tasks faithfully, the fabric of the city is in a sorry state: (v3) ‘The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.’
It is unlikely that Nehemiah had ever visited Jerusalem. He was probably born in Susa, where he now served with an important job at the royal court: the king’s cupbearer had to taste everything that the king was going to drink before the king did, so that if it was poisoned, then the cupbearer died, and not the king. In other words, he had every reason to just stay put and continue in his vital role.
But something stirred in him that day: (v4) ‘When I heard these things I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned…’ Like me, I’m sure he would have found it hard to put into words just why this news touched him so much now. After all, he was probably privy to updates about his homeland more than most of his fellow Jews. But this was the moment when God called him to act – and over the coming days we’ll see where that deep, divine conviction led him.
Is God speaking to you about anything at the moment? If He is, then maybe this a moment to resolve to listen – wherever it may lead. And if not – pray for those facing such a call: for wisdom, courage and grace to respond, in faithfulness to our glorious God.
Summer 2026: ‘Wildfires’ – The Holy Spirit, from Genesis to Revelation
This summer, we’ll immerse ourselves in the person and work of the Holy Spirit: from the first verses of Genesis, to the last verses of Revelation. Often the ‘forgotten’ part of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is there at Creation, and also at the climax of the New Creation, throughout history revealing the reality of God’s presence and power to the world. So, let’s celebrate the Wildfire of the Holy Spirit, and continue to welcome His presence in our lives today!
Monday 17th August – Epilogue: Revelation 22:17 ‘The Spirit says “Come!”
And so to the final reference to the Spirit of God in the bible – we got there eventually! And fittingly, the Spirit’s gaze is directed towards Jesus – as it always is. The grand story of Scripture causes the Spirit to cry out a final encouragement, the only encouragement in a sense that the Spirit ever gives: ‘Come, Lord Jesus.’
History is his story. Jesus comes into our world, changes it forever, and from that point, the ultimate question is: when will he come again?
In one sense, Jesus is always coming into this world. Every time we pray the Lord’s prayer, we pray, ‘Your kingdom come, your will be done….’ – and we ask Jesus to come into this world a little bit more.
Every time we welcome the Spirit’s presence into our lives, the Spirit of Christ fills our hearts – and Jesus comes into this world a little bit more.
Every time a follower of Jesus offers a small act of kindness in Jesus’ name, feeds the hungry, visits the sick, gives a word of encouragement, mends a relationship, rights a small wrong – Jesus comes into this world a little bit more.
Every time someone prays a simple prayer inviting Jesus into their lives, and asking for help to follow him – Jesus comes into this world a little bit more.
But there will be a day when he comes back for good – good in both senses of the world, that is permanently and to our eternal benefit. This is the day the Spirit is working for, completing Jesus’ work on earth.
But it’s also what we long for too. It’s not just the Spirit that says come – the bride does, too. In John’s language ‘the bride’ means us. We are those who long for Jesus’ return. We’ve tasted a little, and know that God is good. But the great feast awaits. And so we work and pray, we live and love, we serve and trust and overcome, that one day Jesus might return and we can enjoy the fullness of his presence forever.
That day may be close, or it may be a long way away. We don’t – and can’t, or even shouldn’t – know. But as dawn follows night, it will come. And it will be worth the wait!
So as we pray, ‘Amen, come Holy Spirit’ into our lives today, so may we also pray, with the Spirit and for our world: ‘Amen, come Lord Jesus.’ For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are His, now and forever. Amen.
Saturday 15th August – Revelation 21:10-11,22-27 ‘Our final destination’
It is often said that the joy of travel is not so much about the destination as the journey. And sometimes that’s true. We can probably all think of memorable journeys, ones that perhaps even eclipse wherever it was we were heading to. The nature writer J.A. Baker describes his own love of journeying in these evocative words: ‘Wandering flushes a glory which fades with arrival.’
But not always. However memorable our journey through life, our final destination will be incomparably more glorious. As the bible ends, St John is given a last vision (in the Spirit) of what the ‘new heavens and earth’, the perfected consummation of all things, will be like. It is breathtakingly beautiful. A city both filled with jewels (21:11,18-21), and astonishingly fertile too, where trees yield fruit every month (22:2).
All the things we needed on earth to point us to God – the temple (v22), the source of light (v23) – are no longer needed because our access to God is immediate and complete. There are no threats to our security or wellbeing either – all nations and leaders are surrendered to God (v24) and the gates can be left open all the time (v25). It is a place of perfect peace and prosperity.
This is what the Spirit of God is preparing us for. Over these last sixty readings we’ve reflected deeply on how the Spirit is at work in the world and in our lives. Ultimately, the Spirit’s job is to glorify Jesus: to point all people in the world to him, and to the salvation, purpose, peace, hope and love that he brings. When we finally overcome this world, and get to heaven, in one sense, the Spirit’s work is done. It’s noticeable that the Spirit isn’t mentioned in this description. But it’s not that the Spirit isn’t there – God has been Father, Son and Spirit for all eternity. Rather, the Spirit can reign quietly with the Father and the Son, knowing that His eternal task is accomplished. Jesus is fully glorified, and His followers can rejoice and live in His love forever.
This is our final destination, but it has an earthly value, a relevance to us today. Until that day, we are temples of God’s Spirit, the place where God’s presence dwells in this world. We are the light of the world, pointing to the true light of Jesus. We bring our small amounts of splendour daily to the feet of Jesus and offer it for His glory.
May that be our hope, our joy, our purpose this day – and every day, until the completion of all things.
Friday 14th August – Revelation 3:5-6,11-13,21-22 ‘Whoever has ears…’
‘Whoever has ears, let them hear….’ Jesus uses this famous phrase repeatedly in the gospels whenever he tells stories to his listeners. The stories Jesus tells are called parables – which means there’s a point to them, maybe even a sting in the tail. Jesus’ parables tease us, touch us, sometimes torment us. They speak truth in creative ways, but never tell us everything. A brief or superficial engagement with them will yield little. Their true value is only found after real reflection.
Jesus often finishes with this cryptic phrase because he knows it’s not enough just to have the ears physically to receive the message. We need to really hear it. In other words, to take it into our hearts and minds, to internalise it and live accordingly.
As St John describes his famous vision of heaven – written down in the Book of Revelation, the last book of the bible – he begins with an encounter with the risen Lord Jesus, now in heavenly glory. The vision is so overwhelming, John falls on his face in terror (1:17); however, Jesus helps him to his feet and proceeds to give a series of instructions to various church communities in modern-day Greece and Turkey. We find these in chapters 2 and 3, and Jesus finishes each with the same phrase he uses when he told his parables in the Gospels: ‘Whoever has ears, let them hear….’
Hear what? Well, the focus of these heavenly messages has changed. In the gospels Jesus is mostly encouraging us to step out in faith and follow him. Here in Revelation, he is addressing those already following – in some cases, for a long time – but who are losing heart or losing their way. And Jesus wants them to see themselves not just as Followers but Overcomers. Whatever trials they face, he wants them to know: ‘I am still God, and you can still overcome.’
So, each word of instruction ends: ‘To the one who overcomes….’ (or in some translations, ‘to the one who is victorious’).
And what follows is a glorious sequence of promises. Just taking those in chapter 3, those of us who stay faithful and overcome will, in heaven: be dressed in new heavenly (pure) clothes (v5); have eternal life (v5); have the promise of God’s constant presence – that’s what it means to be a pillar in the temple, the place where God dwells (v12); will never have to leave God’s presence (v12); and will even sit on God’s throne with Him! (v21)
To the small, suffering communities at the end of the first century, these must have been very great promises indeed. But notice that this is also what the Spirit is saying – the same Spirit who dwells in us too. We too are Overcomers. We too have these promises to hold onto. The glorious Lord Jesus cheers us on as well, and gives us hope to keep running our races.
The Spirit’s presence in our lives strengthens us to live in the here and now. But it also transforms us to live for the future, to live forever with God. It’s good to remind ourselves of the eternal glory that awaits us. May these promises give us hope today.
Thursday 13th August – 1 John 4:1-6 ‘The greater Spirit’
I originally wrote this reflection in the week before the 2020 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. As was usual in that season, the two Mercedes cars dominated qualifying for the race. Many would agree that in Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes had the best driver at that time – and one of the greatest drivers of all-time. However, what also set both Mercedes cars apart over an extended period of success was that the engine in their car was just more powerful than the engine in other cars. What was in their car –both driver and engine – was greater than what was in the rest.
In today’s reading, St John talks about the nature of contested truth in our world. Even in the early decades of the church, what Christians believed was under attack, both within and outside the church. So how can we tell what is true spiritual wisdom? How can we prevail in the spiritual battle? His advice rests on one profound truth: ‘The One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world’ (v4).
In other words, it’s not a fair fight. Yes, there are competing spiritual forces in the world, and that will sometimes cause turbulence for followers of Jesus. But the Spirit of the Almighty Lord of the Universe is just bigger and better, more loving and powerful, than anything else.
The fact that this divine Presence dwells in us is even more significant – we are not just evaluating two external spiritual forces – rather God by His Spirit dwells in us, and no other power can overcome that or take it away from us.
This is a huge encouragement. There are many days we feel weak. There are days we might doubt whether we can cope, or even whether we can hold fast to God. But the greater truth is that God holds fast to us, and that His Spirit in us is greater than anything that opposes us.
There is another footnote here. The particular challenge facing the followers of Jesus that John was writing to was those who denied that Jesus was a real, material human being at all (v3). The influence of Greek thought made it popular to believe that Jesus was just a spirit, because a good God simply couldn’t lower himself to become flesh and blood.
But nothing could be further from the truth. God came into this ‘dirty’ world in real flesh and blood form, and in so doing gave it hope. This same God inhabits our own flesh-and-blood bodies too. God’s solution is not to avoid the mess of this world, but to engage with it and to make it whole.
Today, let’s give thanks that God is slowly making us whole; that by His grace we can hold fast, because He holds fast to us; and above all, that ‘the One who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world.’
Wednesday 12th August – 2 Peter 1:16-21 ‘Spirit-breathed Scriptures’
Inspiration is a curious thing. Any of us who try to communicate creatively in any medium, whether through words or the visual arts, know what that means – and what it costs. Sometimes it just ‘flows’ – at other times, it’s like pulling teeth. We scratch around in the dust, so to speak, looking for a pebble of any shape or colour, just something we can use!
Fortunately, when it comes to the good news of our faith, inspiration is much easier to find. In our passage today, St Peter, who had spent a lifetime trying to communicate the good news with everyone he met, takes us back to the things we can rely on. In fact, where he starts is by reminding us that we don’t need clever communication strategies to share our faith (v16). Why?
Well, firstly, we have the power of experience. For Peter, that was direct, first-hand eyewitness testimony. He saw God’s majesty at Jesus’ baptism (v17), and also on the mountain where Jesus was transfigured (v18). We might not have that particular experience to draw on, but nevertheless we all have personal stories of how God has been at work in our lives, which in many ways are no less real: answered prayer, changes in our sense of wellbeing or our character, perhaps one or two miraculous interventions, or even dreams and visions.
These are the things that make our faith real, that give us authority too as ‘witnesses’, sharing what we have ourselves experienced. And these stories and testimonies are powerful. If you haven’t thought about those for a while, why not take a few minutes today? I hope you’ll find, as I do, that it never fails to lift our spirits and encourage our hearts.
Secondly, Peter also reminds us that the truth of the good news is plenty powerful enough in itself not to need ‘dressing up’. He describes it as ‘completely reliable’ and a ‘light in a dark place’ (both v19). But he also points to a deeper power, a greater inspiration. The words of the bible have power not just because they tell great truths, but because they are inspired by God. In the lovely phrase at the end of the passage, humans ‘spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit’ (v21). The bible is literally ‘God-breathed’. (For other references to this same truth, see 2 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 3:7 and 10:15.)
This is yet another beautiful truth about the Spirit, isn’t it? Yesterday we saw how the Spirit effected the offering of Jesus’ sacrifice to God. Today, we learn that the Spirit inspired the pages of Scripture. The Spirit’s business is everything that glorifies Jesus.
And we too can open the bible today, rejoicing that as we read God speaks to us, in Spirit-breathed words. What is He saying to you today?
Tuesday 11th August – Hebrews 9:11-15 ‘Spiritual cleansing’
I love meat. As it happens, I love fruit, nuts and vegetables too, and will happily live as a vegetarian for half the week. But I can’t go the whole hog – pardon the pun. Walk me down the meat aisle of the supermarket, past the speciality sausages and the cuts of beef, and I can’t help but be drawn to them.
But like most people today, I don’t really appreciate what it takes for me to eat the meat that’s on my plate. I don’t have to kill the animal myself, to watch its life blood drain away. I suspect if I did, I would feel very differently. Does that make me a hypocrite? Possibly!
As a culture we are now shielded from the true cost of what it means to eat flesh. Animals are ‘sacrificed’ in special places, far away from where we live, so what we experience is sanitised – an inanimate object packaged in cling film, like most of the other food we eat.
Such a removal of the reality of what it means to use animals in this way makes it much harder for us than it used to be to read the accounts of the Jewish sacrificial system. They feel strange to our ears now, even barbaric. And yet, it’s not so very far from how many of us relate to the same sorts of animals today.
And the system had a divine purpose. The life of the animals was given for ours. They won our forgiveness, our rightness with God. By their wounds, we are healed. The book of Hebrews takes this starting point and shows over 13 chapters how Jesus fulfilled and completed the whole system, so that it was no longer required. Christ was both a perfect priest (mediator between God and humans) and perfect sacrifice, winning through his one sacrificial death forgiveness and rightness with God for all people, for all time.
Or as this passage puts it: ‘he entered the most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, so obtaining eternal redemption’ (v12). What needed constant new sacrifices under the old system is now completed for all time – this is such a radical change that the author reminds us that this is a new covenant between God and humanity, which guarantees us an eternal inheritance (v15).
But how did this perfect transaction take place? Well, it involves the whole Trinity of God – Jesus offers himself to the Father ‘through the eternal Spirit’ (v14). The Spirit effected the offering of Christ to God – how amazing is that? We rightly praise Jesus for what he did for us, and God the Father for offering his only son, but very rarely do we give the Spirit any credit. And yet, Jesus’ sacrifice is offered to God through the Spirit. Wow!
Truthfully I’m not sure I’ve ever thought about that till today – which reminds us that with God there are always new treasures to find, new truths to inspire us. The Spirit’s task is to teach us all things (John 14:26): may God reveal a beautiful new truth to you today that captures your heart and fills you with joy.
Monday 10th August – 2 Timothy 1:3-8 ‘A courageous spirit’
God has a role for everyone in His kingdom. It sometimes appears that the people God mostly uses are the ‘alpha’ characters – the big, out-there extroverts, those with the gift of the gab, the confident, funny ones, the people who naturally take charge. And don’t get me wrong, we do need those.
But God needs everyone else too. We are all made with unique, God-given personalities. Sometimes those of us who are quieter, or more serious, or like things to be right, or don’t like upsetting people, wish we were louder, or more spontaneous, more able to ride the wave of life. But God made us as we are. He doesn’t just love us, He actually likes us as we are, and wouldn’t want us to be any other way.
Timothy has a hard act to follow. He’s Paul’s closest confidant, and the person being prepared by Paul to shoulder the senior leadership role after Paul is gone. But he’s very different to Paul. He’s a quiet, gentle character, who leads by wisdom and the example of a godly life. He gets intimidated by aggressive characters and the rough and tumble of pastoral ministry. He’s young, too, and wonders if he’s up to the job, if he carries the authority to lead people of all generations.
And Paul, in this lovely start to what is probably his last letter, reminds Timothy of the only three things he needs to be the person God has made him to be. First, a sincere faith (v5). Timothy has this in abundance: he was blessed to have a mature Christian mother and grandmother, and this heritage of faith will serve Timothy well. Even if we don’t have those role models in our past, let’s take heart that it’s our sincerity of faith that qualifies us to be fit for service in God’s kingdom. Real faith is all that God needs to use us.
But if that’s the foundation, what kick-starts our Christian service are the other two things: we all have gifts, and Paul encourages Timothy to use his as much as he can (v6). The suspicion is that Timothy’s particular gift was dormant, so Paul says ‘fan it back into flame’. You’ve got it, Timothy – go use it! Timothy’s gift was obviously supernaturally imparted through Paul’s own commissioning prayer, and we reflected on the value of spiritual gifts a couple of weeks ago. But the basic principle here, whether for natural or spiritual gifts, is: use them! Fan them into flame and let God bless them for His glory.
Finally, we need a bit of courage. Timothy was timid, you get the sense he felt inferior when around other people. But Paul says: the Holy Spirit has much more for you! Your authority, your qualification to serve, is not ultimately given by other humans – it is validated by the Spirit of God, whose presence in you fills you with love, power and a sound mind (the other translation of ‘self-discipline’).
The Spirit is what makes our faith and gifts effective for God. So let us keep fanning our gifts into flame, filled with faith and empowered by the Spirit. God is able to use you, today, wherever you are. Take heart!
Note: Our back catalogue is still available here. There are series from all across the bible, and you can either view the PDF files online or download at your leisure.