Shofar Stellenbosch | Godly CommunityEgzanp

Building Community

The story of Nehemiah is a story of a community that built together. Jerusalem had a temple but there was no protection for the city from further attack. Nehemiah travels to Jerusalem and uses his leadership skill to rally a citywide construction crew. Within a few weeks, the walls around Jerusalem were built and standing tall and their enemies lost their confidence.

Read: Nehemiah 4: 10-23

At the end of the story the enemy could not break through and destroy the walls, but they stood firm and covered one another. At the centre of a godly community are vulnerability and trust. 

• Do you have people that you can be vulnerable around? And do you trust them? 
• According to this scripture, what do we need to fight for? 
• Are you looking out for your own interests or the interests of others?
• What are the areas that I can focus more on the needs of others?

If we allow ourselves to be vulnerable towards our community and we know that we can trust them, then we do not need to fight for ourselves because our community (Brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, husbands, wives and homes) will fight for us. If we fight for ourselves, we focus only on ourselves but when we fight for others and others for us then we have a multitude covering us and fighting for us. 

Prayer

'Lord, help us build community. We know that we cannot do this alone, so we ask that you stir our hearts to fight for one another and look out for the needs of others. We desire to have all things in common with our brothers and sisters and therefore we pray that you knit our hearts together.'