3. I Was Cupbearer to the King (Nehemiah 1:11)
Posted by Doug | Filed under Nehemiah: A Leader of Purpose & Priority
This is our third installment of “Nehemiah: A Leader of Purpose and Priority.” It’s time I provide some structure to our study. Let’s retrace our steps so that I can give you a sense of where our study is leading us.
Our first devotional focused on the fact that God called Nehemiah to move beyond the palace of Susa where he was to Jerusalem. Nehemiah was abandoning his comfort zone to fulfill the mission. His mission, of course, was to rebuild the walls around the city, and more importantly, to restore God’s Word to its rightful place of priority in the lives of His people.
In our most recent study we learned that his mission evoked in him a great sense of responsibility, so Nehemiah humbled himself in prayer and obedience. This combination –prayer and obedience– is how spiritual leaders like Nehemiah acknowledge that apart from God’s help, they will fail to make an eternal difference in the lives of the people they serve. In other words, godly leaders depend on God in obedience and prayer.
So in summary, Nehemiah followed God and relied on Him completely. With our first two studies as a backdrop, the final verse of Nehemiah chapter 1 catches my attention. It says, “I was cupbearer to the king.”
2. Leader: Who do You Depend On? (Nehemia 1:11)
Posted by Doug | Filed under Nehemiah: A Leader of Purpose & Priority
Do you remember that overwhelming sense of responsibility you felt the first time you stepped into a new leadership position?
I’ve had that feeling numerous times. I remember, for instance, the feelings I had while serving as a missionary in Costa Rica. I walked onto the 80 acres we had just purchased to develop Camp Summit. I thought to myself, “I can’t believe World Missions would allow a 25-year-old to do this!”
Nor will I ever forget how humbled I was to be asked to launch Royal Rangers International. What a daunting task to establish, strengthen and serve Royal Rangers around the world!
Powered by FireStats