Author Darlene J Conard

“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

Isaiah 43:19 KJV

He crouched among the rubble surrounding him. Frozen in position with his arm folded resting on the left of his lap with one knee settled on the ground, Nehemiah remembered the promise.

“You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you into Myself.”  repeated in his spirit. With one hand he scooped a piece which once was a part of the gate. Rubbing his thumb over it remembering his prayer to God.

“Nehemiah how are we going to rebuild from this rubble? The gates are burnt, the wells are no more, the city now lays as a heap screaming, I have perished.” He kept the plan God spoke to him as a man protecting his treasures. “Yes,” Nehemiah glanced up at him. “She cries out as a battered soul. The Lord God hears her, and I’ve felt her pain. She will live again. Her scars will be a memorial of victory in the sight of all enemies.

He reminisced about the night he laid flat on his back with his arms folded beneath his head staring in the celestial body. Stars twinkling here and there with the moon’s face visibly shining.

Secretly he arose mounting on his beast, he rode here to examine her battered foundation.

This is how I imagine Nehemiah as he prepared himself and workers for the great work ahead. 

A sense of sadness came over me as I sat waiting for the wash cycle to end. The softness of the light brought back memories of my visits at our community hospital that no longer exist.

Double glass doors opened only in a small space entrance with a wall payphone on the right. Disinfectant cleaner filled the area with a pungent smell. Another set of glass doors opened to a large registration room. On the left the secretary’s booth-built area sat at a short distance from the entry. Her slightly hidden face left visitors to guess her mood.

I remember the old interior of the floors, windows, the light blue green tile in the restrooms and the installed chicken wired windows. My little town reminded me of the story of Nehemiah.

 She’s labeled helpless, destitute, filled with drunks and drug addicts. I don’t see that. God sees restoration. God sees broken souls who need compassion and redemption.  

Jesus answered the Pharisees question, “Destroy this temple in three days I will raise it up.”

“It took forty-six years to build this temple. How and You say it’s going to be built in three days?” (John 2:18-20) Spiritual things can’t be received unless we have a Christlike mind.  

We must have hope, stay founded in prayer and follow God. There’s nothing impossible for Him. He is rebuilding.

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