The Story Behind The Story

As my eyes flowed over the verses in Nehemiah 3, I read a name, title, and responsibility connected to another name, title and responsibility as they rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem.

I couldn’t help but wonder, who really is Zadok son of Baana? Or Rephaiah son of Hur? Or Shallum son of Col-hozeh? What are their testimonies? What personal sacrifice did it take to rebuild that wall in 52 days? How did it impact their families? Did they really want to build or did they feel obilgated to? How did God reveal Himself personally to them? What is the story behind the story? 

My mind wondered from name to name and question to question, as I sat there wishing I could ask Shallum about his family. I imagined how my life story would’ve related to his, or how God could’ve connected us together.

I momentarily pondered why I even cared? Why did I want to know about them? Why wasn’t knowing they rebuilt the wall enough?

Could it be because God’s in the details of their stories, and the magnitude of His greatness can be seen in the smallest details of their everyday lives? Could it be their story could’ve encouraged me to keep pressing on?

The story of Ezra and Nehemiah are prophetic examples of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit working in the lives of the Body of Christ today. As Ezra restored the spiritual relationship between God and His people, Nehemiah restored the physical one. So goes the story today of how Jesus and the Holy Spirit are doing the same type of restoration in us.

Revelations 12:11 says

They overcame him [the enemy] by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony. 

God has partnered with us to help us overcome the enemy of our lives, and to be rebuilt both physically and spiritually. He did what we could not, and became the sacrifice for our sins. Now He’s asking us to do what He is not, and be the witness in the details of our lives. He wants us to recognize that our story is for a purpose beyond ourselves and to tell it.

In both the book of Ezra and Nehemiah, intimidation from their enemies threatened to end the work of God. The same is true in our own lives, intimidation from the enemy attempts to silence God’s witnesses, and keep us from rebuilding the lives of God’s people.

What keeps you from being a witness? Maybe you feel your testimony isn’t enough, because it’s not like a Friday night movie full of action and drama. Or maybe its the opposite, and you really don’t want that movie replayed. Either way, the intimidation of insignificance or shame is attempting to silence you!

To successfully partner with God in rebuilding His people, we must work as they did when rebuilding the wall.

…The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. Nehemiah 4:17

The people in Nehemiah had literal weapons, but their power came through prayer and humility. Your authority to continue in His work is by the power of prayer and humility, it enables you to tell your story behind the story.

In both Ezra and Nehemiah, the people had lost sight of the true God, and worshiped many gods. Restoring that wall in 52 days represented the power of the true God they’d heard about for years. Yet, I believe, the restoration of their individual lives could have come in the stories behind the story; the little details of how God touched them individually, and moved them personally to repentance.

This world already recognizes there is something different about you, but don’t just be a rebuilt wall representing the power of a god in a world that worships many gods. Be the story behind the story, and share with others how each and every brick was restored and remade in your life by your very personal God!

To the lost and broken this world is overwhelming. They live in a world which only promises unfulfilled dreams and hopelessness. The lost and broken are His people, too. Your story is a representation that there is ONE God, big enough to overcome their hopelessness. The details of your life, is the story behind the story that will connect with another. That connection is what brings a dying world to the same repentance and restoration you came to. Be the story behind the story…

NOW YOUR TURN: Do you have a story behind the story? I would love to hear from you. Go to contact us, and submit your testimony in 600 words or less. I would love to share Your Story Behind The Story so others can connect to God through you…