Nehemiah 2:9

Nehemiah 2:9 says, Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.  Nehemiah crossed the river with not only a letter from the king but with the captain of the army and horsemen with him.  He had the authority and the protection of the king, and when we go into the world to do what God has called us to do, we have both His authority and His protection. 

Verse ten adds, When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.  Not everyone was pleased that Nehemiah had come to check on the welfare of the people of Israel, and not everyone is going to be pleased when God sends us to check on the spiritual welfare of people and offer them hope by putting their faith in Jesus Christ.  They had rather maintain power over them. 

Verse eleven continues, So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.  Nehemiah got to Jerusalem and was there for three days, and no one took notice of his being there nor asked his purpose for being there evidently.  We may do a lot for God and never be noticed by people as we do it, but we are still to do what God has called us to do. 

Verse twelve states, And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.  Nehemiah said he went at night with a few men with him and only the beast he rode on for help.  He did not tell the people what God had placed on his heart to do in Jerusalem.  We may go alone as we do God’s work, or even with a few others, but we must tell people the good news as we go, not to call attention to us, but to bring honor and glory to God and to call people to salvation. 

Verse thirteen adds, And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.  Matthew Henry says that Nehemiah went at night so he could look over the city to see what needed to be done and decide what was needed to get it done.  We need to look over our calling from God and decide what we need to get it done.  We are promised God will provide what we need, but we should first allow Him to help us underhand what that is.  We should not just run ahead with no idea what we are actually going to need to do and what we need to do it.  Nehemiah had the authorization to rebuild the walls, but he now needed to know what he needed to accomplish that task.  We have not only the authorization but the command to share the gospel, and we may need to plan ahead how we are going to do that. That is not to say that at times we will have the opportunity to do so without any planning to do so at that time, but even then, we need to know what we are sharing. 

Verse fourteen continues, Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.  Nehemiah got to the gate of the fountain and to the king’s pool, but his beast couldn’t even pass through.  There was a lot that needed doing, and Nehemiah was seeing for himself what that was.  Matthew Henry says if we are going to build up the walls of the church, we must first see what needs doing. 

Verse fifteen concludes, Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.  After looking things over, Nehemiah returned to the city.  After we look over what needs doing in the church today, we need to return to God to allow Him to strengthen and guide us.