Nehemiah Might Be an Alabama Softball Fan!
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| The Alabama Softball Team after winning the 2012 NCAA World Series. Photo from AP. |
I think the prophet Nehemiah might have shouted “Roll Tide”on June 7th too. I stayed up until 1 am on this day watching the Alabama Crimson Tide softball team go head to head with Oklahoma’s team in the deciding game of the NCAA Softball World Series.
They had already experienced a 3-hour rain delay, and in the 4th inning, it began to rain again. Oklahoma’s coach & pitcher requested a rain delay because pitches were going wild which led to several walks – Oklahoma’s pitcher was in a bad situation! The score at this point: AL – 2, OK – 3. Alabama was in a bad situation too!
During the 13-minute delay as the officials conferenced, Alabama’s team started an impromptu pep rally in the rain. They began chanting, cheering, and dancing in the rain and got the crowd fired up. Contrast this with Oklahoma’s team – they were hunkered down in the dug out – discouraged because of the walks – waiting for the official’s decision. When the game cranked back up, Alabama rallied and won 5-4! I firmly believe that the Alabama team’s “dance in the rain” gave them the extra edge they needed to win that game and got them out of a bad situation.
Now I am in love with the whole counsel of God, but the book of Nehemiah in particular speaks to my spirit in a special way about bad situations. Nehemiah gives the account of the re-building of Jerusalem’s walls after they had been destroyed by the Babylonian invasion. Even though Nehemiah was serving King Artaxerxes as his cupbearer, his heart was burdened for his homeland, which was lying in disrepair. Jerusalem was in a bad situation.
When Nehemiah heard the news about Jerusalem in chapter 1:4, he “sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.” Jeremiah proceeded to personally repent and to intercede in prayer for his people. Verse 11 may surprise you – Nehemiah asked God to “make Your servant successful today…” This leader wanted success in the midst of a bad situation.
When it came Nehemiah’s time to serve the king his wine, he took a big chance by appearing sad before the king. We know from Esther 4:2 that “no one was to enter the King’s gate in sackcloth”. In other words, put on your happy face for the King!. Because Nehemiah chose to pray for success and to plan what he would say when the king asked what was wrong, he was ready when the king inquired about his sad face. Nehemiah said a quick prayer – and proceeded to tell Artaxerxes everything that was troubling him and what he needed to be successful in rebuilding the walls.
You know when God puts a plan in action, Satan will send people to rise up against it – so enter Sanballat and Tobiah. They were very “displeased” with Nehemiah’s plan. Nehemiah chose to continue in God’s plan instead of hunkering down in the dugout and getting under the enemies bad weather.
When Nehemiah finally arrived in Jerusalem, he made a late night, solo inspection of the broken down walls and gates. This sight could have driven him back to the dugout. Instead, he chose to inspire the residents of Jerusalem to join him in the good work with one simple statement in 2:17, “You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.” And rebuild they did in just 52 days! They rallied to complete the job just as the Crimson Tide’s softball team rallied to win the World Series!
Life’s bad situations can cause walls to crumble around you. So we have choices to make. We can choose to let our bad circumstances send us to the dugout where we will never repair the damage in our lives or get any kind of victory. Or we can choose to dance and cheer in the rain! Imagine the difference your choice could make! You could be a World Series champion or a great vision-caster like Nehemiah.
Or perhaps you could be the mother, co-worker, or friend who inspires others to do their personal best for the Kingdom. So go ahead and pray to the God of Heaven for success in the midst of your bad situation, repent if needed, and go dance in the rain!
