CAREFUL CONSIDERATION. Nehemiah 2:11-12 Nehemiah took a brief three-day rest to reflect on the goodness of God during the long journey from Babylon to Jerusalem. He likely reflected on what had happened to the Israelites that led to their captivity in Babylon, and he was challenged in his mind and heart to do what God had placed there.
Three days set aside for rest, meditation, prayer, and planning are not wasted. Three days spent assessing the damage, observing the people's lethargy, and evaluating their attitudes and why they are the way they are were important. Seeing the condition of things and considering how to begin and move forward in the work would have clarified a plan to follow.
It is quite proper to sometimes consider a work you are responsible for when you are alone, free from distraction. Researching a project ahead of time clarifies what must be done. If there are many options, we may at first overlook God’s plan, which is the blueprint for the work we are to follow, not the opinions of man. When one takes the time to go over a planned work carefully, it helps us be precise and approach the work prayerfully. The need to accomplish the work becomes quite clear as the Lord God unfolds to us all that is needed.
Time spent stopping to consider each view gives shape to where and how to begin and then follow through. Taking time to look at a work from every possible angle may help resolve difficulties that initially eluded us. Observing and assessing all matters surrounding a situation gives us time to apply thoughtful consideration. A realistic strategy based on firsthand information can only be developed through thorough observation. When the time comes to share with others all you have found, it is clear to everyone that you have already covered the ground and know firsthand what you are talking about. What God has put in your heart isn’t generally learned in college.
Acting prematurely often creates serious stress. This affects various groups as they press their opinions on others, and rivalry can arise instead of uniting. Through tedious planning sessions, it starts to divide. We have to share our vision with others, it is true, but take time with God first, so they know He started with you. Others can claim real ownership in what God began through you.
Years before, Ezra had taken three days' rest when he and those with him came to Jerusalem. When our Lord Jesus Christ’s body was in the grave, the disciples spent three days in the upper room to reflect on what their Lord Jesus had taught and done. They were likely uncertain and afraid of what lay ahead without Him. They remained in fear until after three days, when “Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them and said, ‘Peace be to you.’”
Questions we have in our minds, a review of the past and what we know, and an outline of the options we have, take shape as a plan when we spend three days praying, planning, and preparing ourselves. Then we can clearly define the problem, clarify it so we can present it to others, and define the solution as precisely as possible, guided by the Holy Spirit. He is the one who sets the guidelines in the Word of God and enables us to apply them to present circumstances. After three days of consideration and rest, Nehemiah was ready to take action. He had formulated a plan that required a clear personal understanding of what needed to be done and how to start. In the night, there would be no crowds of people around asking questions or speculating about what he was doing. In the darkness of night, there were no distractions, and even then, he could "view the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire."
He knew what God wanted him to do, so he didn't have to make decisions based on men's opinions. He needed firsthand information from observation and assessment of the damage and the realistic path to rebuilding. He didn’t wait for a better time. His secrecy and nighttime survey may have been due to Sanballat’s proximity, who likely had people in the city spying on Nehemiah, or to his desire to have a defined plan of action that didn’t require discussion with apathetic leaders who had been content to live 100 years with things the way they were.
There is little to discuss when people are complacent enough to live in ruins without protection. That would be a real waste of time and could cause controversy and contention. A clear assessment of the need, considering the assets we have, defining the way to proceed with the work, and then presenting this as a realistic plan makes it easier to get on with the work. When facing problems that need to be solved, consider the various needs and obstacles we face, explain how to apply the assets we have to those needs, and then trust God to give us the strength, guidance, and wisdom to do what needs to be done. He can reveal to us ways to overcome what we have overlooked and will enable us to complete tasks that seem insurmountable.