Mar 27

“…the high priest rose up with…the priests, and they builded the sheep gate…” Nehemiah 3:1

Eliashib was Joshua’s grandson, and appears to be the first high priest since Israel had returned from the captivity in Babylon. Under Nehemiah’s leadership, he started the restoration work setting the pace and frame for his fellow priests and the people. This is the correct attitude towards any work physical or otherwise that needs to be done in the church. Some insist that because they are called to the ministry, they should not ‘soil’ their hands with physical labour or effort. Whilst it is important never to lose sight of the spiritual labour, and the focus and precedence that it requires in the life of a minister, there is clearly room for rolling one’s sleeves up, and getting into the physical work also! How encouraging it is to see and have the spiritual leader, show enough concern for what needs to be done, that he doesn’t merely ‘direct’ the work, but  initiates, propagates the vision for it, begins it with personal involvement and inspires others to join-in and lend a hand! How appropriate that such heart and attitude should be found with those who are ministers, considering the term which titles them, is one of willing servitude and self-sacrifice! Very fitting also was where these ministers began their work of rebuilding. The text indicates they focused first on the ‘sheep gate’. This is understood to be a special entrance into the wall, through which sheep were brought into the city. They would then be ‘washed’ at a pool near this entrance, before being taken to the temple to be offered as sacrifices. Here again we see a necessity for the minister and worker for God, to always make a connection between the physical work and its higher purpose - the service of God. We should never lose sight then that when we may be mowing a lawn for a widow, or laying some concrete, or digging a drain in the church backyard, or helping needy brethren with any of their physical load, the physical labour, with all its pressures, difficulties and cost, has a spiritual connection to it – we are doing it - ‘as unto the Lord’! Individuals may benefit from the efforts, but the Lord is glorified and the He is the motivation and reason for the service!

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion