The Story of Nehemiah
With prayer and obedience to God, Nehemiah not only led God’s people to rebuild Jerusalem but also led them back to worshiping God.
Before You ListenLet's Get Started
Theme: Loving My Neighbor- God Calls His People.
- Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” God’s word tells us that we should work hard with him in mind in all we do. Can you think of two examples of how you have worked for God in the past week?
- Nehemiah was a Hebrew living in Persia, where he served the king. After hearing a bad report from one of his brothers, he wanted to go to Jerusalem and rebuild God’s temple. God was pleased that Nehemiah was committed to serving him and made it possible for him to return. God blessed Nehemiah’s work. As you listen to this episode, think about how it pleases God when you work for him.
After you listen
Memory Verse
Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.
They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
Quiz
A: False. He started building the wall first.
A: He had half the people continue working while half stood guard.
A: Join the fight against their enemies.
Reflect
God calls the right people to do his good works. There are many examples in the Bible of people who did everyday, ordinary tasks that brought great pleasure to God. The story of Nehemiah shows that God blesses the work of those who work faithfully. God allowed Nehemiah to travel back with the king’s blessing to rebuild the walls and temple of Jerusalem. Things became tricky when their enemies wanted to stop them. But God continued to bless the work of their hands, and they were able to complete their building projects.
In Colossians 3:23 it says, “ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” Make no mistake—God has placed you right where he wants you to be! You can work for him in your classroom, on your sports team, or at your rehearsal. You can work for him at home and at summer camp. You can work for him at your club meetings and at the park with your friends. There is no limit to the places and kinds of work you can do for him! There is nothing too small or unimportant when we do it for God.
To read the full story about Nehemiah’s rebuilding of the wall, see Nehemiah 2, Nehemiah 4, and Nehemiah 6: 15-16. Want to dig deeper and learn more about serving God with all of your life? Check out 1 Kings 8:61, Proverbs 16:3, and Psalm 37:5.
Challenge
God wants you to live a life committed to serving him. Your hands are one of the biggest tools he has given you to work for him. Create your own reminder of this. Trace both of your hands on paper and cut them out. On each finger, print a different way that you can serve him in your daily life. Think about the places you go and the people you meet each day. How can you serve him at home? In gym class? On the playground? On your sports team? While practicing piano? Paste your hand tracings on a sheet of paper and print this verse underneath: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord” - Colossians 3:23. Share your picture with an adult and ask them how they serve God in their daily life. Post it on your fridge, bath, or bedroom wall to remind you to work for the Lord in all you do.
