Nehemiah 3 Devotional

Every Name on the Wall

“Above the Horse Gate, each of the priests made repairs in front of his own house.”Nehemiah 3:28 (BSB)

Nehemiah 3 circles Jerusalem gate by gate, naming who rebuilt each stretch of wall. The high priest and his fellow priests begin at the Sheep Gate (3:1). A goldsmith and a perfumer make repairs side by side (3:8). Shallum, a district ruler, works with the help of his daughters (3:12). Many repair the section across from their own house (3:10, 3:23, 3:28). The record is honest, too: the nobles of Tekoa would not put their shoulders to the work, though the men of Tekoa repaired a second section (3:5, 3:27).

It would have been simpler to say that the people rebuilt the wall. Instead, Scripture keeps name after name, down to who worked next to whom. The God who gave this record sees ordinary work done for his name and does not lose track of it. Hebrews says God is not unjust, and he will not forget the work and love his people show (Hebrews 6:10). Whatever stretch of wall is in front of you today, it is not unseen.

To think about: What ordinary work in front of you today could you do as service seen by God, even if no one else notices?