Real Hope: Nehemiah - Building CommunitySample
Inspired With a Common Purpose
Reading the book of Nehemiah reminds me of the importance of working together for a purpose that’s bigger than ourselves as we seek to build community.
Nehemiah called all the people to the task of rebuilding once the resources had arrived and a plan was in place. As you read on in the book, you discover that everyone came out of their homes – priests, men, women, and families. They worked shoulder to shoulder with a common purpose.
Phil and I have had the privilege of working to help those who are less fortunate in our world build their first homes. We have stood working shoulder to shoulder with families as we have built a safe home that will remove their vulnerability of homelessness.
We did the bit we could do with the resources we had, and over the years, we’ve seen so much more happen. People with other skills and resources have helped these families develop income skills and provide access to education for their children. Medical needs have been met, and sustainable communities have been established.
We can apply the story of Nehemiah literally to the idea of building, and we can also think of the metaphor that rebuilding can have in other ways within our communities. The fragmented areas in our neighborhood may be more around help needed in the face of natural disasters or even support for those struggling with mental health issues. The principle is the same – we are all invited into building communities of hope, trust, and faith.
Written by KATH HENRY
Scripture
About this Plan
A series by Phil & Kath Henry. The book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament of the Bible is more than an account of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. It’s an invitation to all who read it to be inspired by one person’s faith and passion to rebuild a community of people. The story can speak to each of us today as we desire to rebuild communities of faith and hope in the wake of the discouragement and vulnerability that world events have caused in the past few years. In this plan, we consider how compassion for others can become inspirational action. We’ll also consider how we can do our God-given part without taking on more than is ours to do.
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We would like to thank Hope Media for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: https://hope1032.com.au/more-from-hope1032/