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Do You Know My Story? Part 2 Nehemiah

James Cathcart March 17, 2024 1 1
Do You Know My Story? Part 2 Nehemiah

This Lent we are hearing from four biblical Leapers! Four people who took a leap of faith with their community. In this second part James Cathcart writes from the perspective of Nehemiah. (You can read more about Nehemiah in the Bible in the book of Nehemiah!)

 

I’m Nehemiah. Do you know my story? Do you know what I’m all about? My MO, my raison d’être?

Come with me a second and I’ll show you.

Now, look at that wall.

What wall?

Aye okay, it’s not much of a wall — that ruined pile of rubble over there.

Okay, can you see it? Good.

Now some people would look at this ruined wall, all its crumbling pieces and see a hopeless cause. Something beyond repair.

Now turn around, you see that group of people over there?

Yeah, the ones standing around looking awkward and shifty.

Well, some people would look at that bunch of would-be builders and see a bunch of no-hopers.

And you know what?

That is exactly what I see too.

I see a hopeless cause and a bunch of no-hopers.

No question. There’s tall orders… and then there’s…sky scrapers. There’s big leaps and then there’s the Grand Canyon!

Look, I might have to draw a diagram to show this lot how to hit a nail with a hammer.

A fox walked past the wall this morning. It sneezed and sent a heap of masonry flying.

Getting this lot to fix this wall is a hopeless cause. I agree.

But here’s the thing when a cause is hopeless it means it’s got nothing going for it — there’s nothing else to fall back on, all is hopeless — which means, ironically, all you can do is hope. Because hope is the only thing in this world that has no prerequisite. When things are hopeless, when there’s nothing to rely on, nowhere to turn — there’s nothing for it but to hope, even for no-hopers. And my God loves no hopers.

And this hopeless crew, this broken people, anxious, confused, overwhelmed, weary — they’re a bunch of no-hopers alright.

And hope… hope is a powerful thing. Hope can build amazing things, and repair broken people. Me personally, I take great stock in hope. My God does too.

I’m going to put my hope in the no-hopers, for all they can do is hope, all they have got is each other, and all there is for it — is to give it a go.

It’s going to be unbelievably hard. But I think we can do it, with my God.

I think we can do it in 52 days.

And either way, it’s not really the wall I’m trying to fix.

It’s the people.

And all that that takes is a little hope.

I pure love these guys and God does too.

Anyways, I’ve got to get building.

But aye, that’s God’s story in us.

 

James Cathcart