In Good Hands

I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king's words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, "Let us arise and build." So they put their hands to the good work. (Nehemiah 2:18)

Nehemiah was the Lord’s hands on guy. God had his good hand upon him and Nehemiah had a helping hand for the work. Nehemiah was on mission doing a physical thing, and needed material resources to do a practical as well as a spiritual thing. He was put into place in the king's court as a cupbearer so he would have been trusted to act in the best interests of the king's welfare. Here we have a contrast of two worldviews. Nehemiah served an earthly king, but his ultimate allegiance was to the High King of Heaven. He has the welfare of the name of God and His people in mind and in his worldview, anytime God's people are a reproach, the name of God is debased. Nehemiah had in his mind and heart to restore the wall of Jerusalem, symbolic of restoring the faith of God's people to trust and believe in God's provision and protection. Nehemiah gives the credit for the success of his appeal to the king to the fact that the good hand of my God was on me. We do well to remember that the work we do in this world, before earthly kings and everyday men, should reflect our purpose to glorify and exalt the name of our God, seeking to restore dignity to His people and bring hope to their situation. But this is never an easy thing to do. We are often resisted from without and within. Sometimes God's people have to be challenged. They have to be reminded about the good hand of God upon them and the good work of God before them. God's enemies have to be opposed. There must be an answer to them. There must be a witness of God and His power to grant success. The enemies must be reminded that without God's portion, they have no portion. We get also a sense of the loneliness of spiritual leaders as Nehemiah operated without telling anyone his plans until the time came to act. Sometimes we only have God as a confidante. He is the only One who can truly be trusted with the plans He puts into our minds and hearts and hands. Nehemiah needed a hand. God’s hand. Is the good hand of your God giving you success in His mission?  Are you in good hands as you put your hand to the good work?