Alan Fong
3 min read
Alan Fong
3 min read
Alan Fong
3 min read
Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) ~Nehemiah 6:1
Many of us are familiar with the story of the little boy who saw a leak in the wall of a dam and plugged it with his finger to keep it from leaking and getting larger. When Nehemiah came to Jerusalem and surveyed the condition of the walls that had been broken down many years before by the Babylonians, he saw wall after wall that had huge breaches in them. However, the day came, after much hard work, that the breaches were fixed. Let us see some powerful lessons about “no breach left therein,” or “let’s fill in all the gaps.”
A breach is a breakage, a fissure, a cleft, or a very noticeable crack in a wall. A crack can sometimes be caused by settling and can be plastered over. However, a crack that is a result of structural damage is of major concern. It indicates weakness and compromise. It indicates vulnerability. It indicates a wall that is susceptible to falling. We must give attention to cracks in our lives and the ministries we serve in. Cracks reveal our integrity, our spirituality, our fortitude, and our capability. Cracks left unattended will eventually result in collapse and failure. Take a moment to look at every area of your life: your marriage, your handling of matters, your service, and your walk with God. What cracks do you see that are getting larger, and are there new cracks that have started to grow?
After Nehemiah saw the breaches and the broken walls, he needed a community of people to help him take to task their repair and fortification. He had a community of committed people. The people who worked on the wall stayed with him until the task was done. He had a community of courageous people. There was much opposition to the repair and building of the walls, but the people confronted the challenges head-on with him. It takes people with the same core beliefs, faith, and commitment to fix the cracks.
Nehemiah and his team left no breach therein. They adequately fixed and filled in every crack. They built new walls that were stronger than the previous ones. When people on the outside saw the walls, they saw walls that looked new. The walls looked strong and well-fortified. There was a new confidence that the people of Jerusalem had. There was a fear that the enemy of the Jews had. It’s time to not only identify the cracks in our life and service, but also close these gaps. Until we do, our faith is little, our boldness is lacking, our giving is stingy, our meekness is missing, our fruitfulness is lacking, and our faith is wavering.
Let’s give attention to the cracks and fissures in our life that God wants us to fill up. Let’s make sure every part of the walls in our life is filled in and fortified. Don’t let cracks leave you vulnerable for satanic attack. Don’t let cracks make you the reason why a ministry fails, prayers are not answered, and sinners do not get saved.
Bible Reading Schedule: Psalms 133-139
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