The Tragedy in Charleston and the Posture of Nehemiah

It hit me in the car on the way to the prayer service yesterday. I was transitioning from an intense workout with my friend at the Air Force Base to a mental and spiritual atmosphere of mourning.

When tragedy hits, you often want to feel like it is far removed from you. 

But when you think about how close it is, the realization of it cannot leave your heart untouched.

I did not personally know any of the victims that were murdered Wednesday night.

However, as I thought of their precious lives while I was in my car on the way downtown yesterday morning, I was overwhelmed with a grieving Holy Spirit.

I started crying, almost uncontrollably at the thought that these people lived, worked, prayed, and directly impacted our community. 

As a preacher spoke at the prayer service yesterday, 'This is an attack against the entire body of Christ. We operate in one spirit. The spirit is not black or white, the spirit is not a color or a race, but the precious bride of Christ. We must come together as one spirit. We must grieve together. We must wake up together to understand that our protection does not come from the walls of our churches but by the shelter of the Almighty.'

I have not done a whole lot of research to see what the world is saying about Charleston or the shootings. Although I am interested in seeing how the situation is being seen by those around the world.

I just know that in Charleston, there is a call for ALL believers to come together in one spirit: to grieve and to mourn, yes, but also to stand together.

As I was riding to the prayer service with my friend Anna, I recalled Nehemiah and began reading out of chapter 1 as we arrived at our destination.

Nehemiah 1:4-11 

When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said: "O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.' 

"They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man"

I was a cupbearer to the king.

 Through Jesus, we have direct access to The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Cupbearers were tried and true warriors who were trusted to bring good things to the King and not poison.

If you are a believer, you are a cupbearer. Bear what is in your cup before the King today. If it is a cup of mourning, bring your cup of mourning. If it is a cup of sorrow, bring your cup of sorrow. If it is a cup of repentance, bring your cup of repentance.

Let the chambers of heaven be filled with our cups, to make a pleading before the Lord. Let our cups say, "Heal our land. Heal our hearts. Heal our people." And then echo it again and again.

And God, who is far greater than the King in Nehemiah, will turn our cups of mourning into cups of revival for our beautiful city.

May God commission us, as the King did to Nehemiah, to go and rebuild the spiritual walls of protection around our city. May we be moved to seek after God and the power of the Holy Spirit in greater ways than ever before. May we be moved to greater boldness and love than ever before.

And as we rebuild our walls, as those in the book of Nehemiah, let us come together. Let us come together as One body and One spirit and One remnant as the lines that have divided us before break in the presence of Our God.

As a prophetess spoke yesterday, "A shifting will take place over the next seven days. God is going to break chains and bring about new freedoms over our city. A shifting is taking place in the atmosphere."

Let's shift our eyes to God and watch as God shifts the hearts of those who live in the Holy City.