"Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace." I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, "Let us start rebuilding." So they began this good work" (Neh. 2:17-18).
Nehemiah's words came after he had personally surveyed the damaged walls of the city. He witnessed first hand the destruction that had been brought by the Babylonians. The walls had crumbled, the gates had been burned and the people were defenseless against their enemies. The task that lay before Nehemiah must have seemed overwhelming. Yet this man of great faith was willing to shoulder the responsibility and enlist help from among the people. He presented his divinely endorsed plan and told them of the favor bestowed upon him by King Artaxerxes. The result was overwhelmingly positive as the people rose up and said, "Let's start building."
People love to follow leaders who have a plan. They love to follow someone who knows the direction they are headed and pursues a distinct mission in life. Great people and great churches have great plans. They refuse to "fly by the seat of their pants" without a goal to fulfill and a purpose to pursue.
William Barclay said, "To be a person of faith does not mean that you are not a person who plans. We need to remember the Revolutionary War saying, 'Trust in God, but keep your powder dry."
And that really is . . . The Way I See It!
