The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Nehemiah 2:1-5, “And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth

year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine

and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.

2 So the king said to me, ‘Why is your face sad though you are not sick?

This is nothing but sadness of heart.’ Then I was very much afraid.

3 And I said to the king, ‘Let the king live forever. Why should my face not

be sad when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies desolate and its

gates have been consumed by fire?’”

We tend to overlook the native abilities of Old Testament people. Nehemiah

had long served the king. He conducted his duties properly; only his face

appeared sad to the king. The king’s analysis of the situation was “on target.”

Nehemiah had something on his mind –something he could not conceal from

the notice of the king.

Sometimes today, we cannot discern what is bothering someone, but we

can see from their facial expressions that something is. Still, even when

the king ultimate permitted Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem and re-build

the wall of the city, problems plagued him. He had opposition from local

people; he had opposition from his own people. He was unsuccessfully

seduced by the local, who played the “good cop, bad cop” game. They

threatened his life, and when that didn’t work, they bribed an infirmed

old man to lure him into the Temple, which would have given the

impression that he was afraid. Oh, Nehemiah had problems all right!

But he never allowed them to hinder him from his main purpose.

Let me challenge you to read the Book of Nehemiah. It has only 13 chapters,

and they are filled with intrigue, wisdom, determination, and prayerfulness.

Winston Churchill most famous speech may have been his shortest. He

arose from his seat and said, “Never give up! Never! Never! Never!” And

he sat down. Churchill did an immense amount of reading. Who knows

but that he might have read Nehemiah and become inspired to forge on?

Love and prayers, always,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”