T-68 - The Power of Testimony

Having exhorted his fellow Israelites to rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem, Nehemiah then resorts to personal testimony. We see this in today’s text…

Nehemiah 2:18 (NIV)
18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
[1]

Nehemiah had already appealed to their reason and now he makes an appeal to their hearts. Yet, the way it is presented, it is almost as though it were an afterthought. “I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me.” Truthfully, that is as it should be.

Like Nehemiah, each of us has a story of how God has moved in our lives; leading, chastening, protecting, blocking, keeping, healing, blessing, saving. Though each and every personal account is different, they each are mere reflections of our God. If our ‘God story’ or ‘personal account’ or ‘testimony’ was the most important thing to us, then we shall have elevated ourselves to the throne. But if our focus is sharp, our testimony is not so much about us as it is about God. In this instance, God working in the life of Nehemiah takes a ‘backseat’ to the task he had set before Nehemiah. Thus, it is fitting and proper that the testimony of Nehemiah received so little attention and came second to the exhortation to accomplish the task at hand.

Nevertheless, there is power in the personal testimony and it was no different for Nehemiah. We know this to be true because the response of those who heard the testimony of Nehemiah was to reply “Let us start rebuilding.” The logical reason to rebuild the walls, personal safety, was not sufficient to motivate the people to undertake the task. Yet when they heard of how God was working in the life of Nehemiah, how the hand of God was moving among them, they were motivated to action. From this, we should draw the lesson that our personal testimonies have been given us that we might share them in order to encourage and motivate others.

And from that, you must know that it is important to be prepared to give your testimony at any time. Though you may not be called by God to rebuild the walls of a great city you will likely be called to rebuild a relationship between a non-believer and God. Although rebuilding Jerusalem was important, it pales by comparison to the importance of bringing the lost back into the fold. The trials you’ve endured, the pain, the hurt; the joys you’ve celebrated at the work of God in your life, they are yours to share just as Nehemiah shared. Like his testimony, your testimony is imbued with the very power of God to invoke a response in the heart of those who here it. I say this only to encourage you to have your testimony ready so that in the fullness of time as ordained by God, you may deliver it according to His purposes.

“So they began this good work.” Motivated by the dedication of Nehemiah, compelled by personal testimony and armed with the knowledge that God had his hand working among them, they began the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

What are you working on today?

שָׁלֹם

Carl

[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.