Out of the Comfort zone!

If someone had a comfortable life in exile, it was Nehemiah.  Nehemiah occupied a prominent position in the emperor's court. He was the trusted cupbearer to King Artaxerxes I, and he lived in Shushan the citadel. One day, Hanani, one of the brothers, brought news from Judah and Jerusalem. By then, the Temple at Jerusalem had been rebuilt,  but the Jewish community was dispirited and defenseless against its non-Jewish neighbors. When Nehemiah heard the news of the desolate condition of Jerusalem, he was deeply disturbed. The Bible says in Neh. 1:4 that he sat down and wept and mourned for many days.  He also fasted and prayed. We all know the story of how Nehemiah obtained permission from Artaxerxes to journey to Palestine.  

What made Nehemiah leave the comforts of the palace and take up the arduous journey to Jerusalem is something worth pondering!  

It is possible to move out of the comfort zone only when we see people and situations as God sees them.  Jesus died on the cross for all of us.  God does not look at us as a black, or white, or brown or a yellow person. Every one of us is precious in His sight! It is possible to move out of the comfort zone only when what breaks the heart of God breaks our hearts.  The Bible says in Matthew 18:14 that it is not the will of our Father that anyone should perish.  Salvation is for all. Nehemiah's love for the God of Israel and His people moved him to the action!  Many missionaries have been motivated by compassion for the lost that they were ready to leave the comforts of their homes and go to countries like India and Africa.  If we honestly say that we love God, then we cannot but be moved by the ignorance and misery of the people around us.

My friend, the question that is facing us today is what we have done at this critical time in the history of the world.  Have we been moved with compassion at the plight of the poor, the destitute, and the migrant workers?  Have we been moved with compassion at the suffering of the aged, the sick, and the helpless?  God used an ordinary raven to feed Elijah.  Can we today be a raven in the hands of God, bringing comfort and cheer in the lives of those who are in need?

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