#203: The Governor

I had dreams, aspirations, and desires to become great in life, to make it early in life, especially in my political dreams and aspirations. I was actually working my sleeves up, day and night. In fact, no hour passed without me thinking about those great plans I had. In the night, I dreamt a lot, I imagined great things, till I stumbled on the story of this ex-governor in the Book my Christian friend gave to me. I don’t know what led me to the seventeenth chapter, although now I know. So I studied through, took it seriously, and it became life to me as I practised it. Now I’ve decided to tell this story to you young ones, so you would be ‘THE GOVERNOR’ God expects of you.

This is the story of the son of Hacaliah, Nehemiah. An ordinary man in the sight of men, but with God, a great man. This man, I discovered wasn’t a man who had gone through any training on how to be a great man. It was there I discovered that greatness begins from within a person and not the other way round.

Now Mr Nehemiah was in Susa, the capital city of Persia, where Artaxerxes reigned as emperor, serving as his wine steward. His brother, Hanani, brought news to him concerning his hometown in Jerusalem, and it wasn’t a pleasant one. This broke the young man’s heart down as he sat down and wept. For several days he mourned and ate nothing. I had done these feats before, what made my case different? It was the fact that he prayed to God. I was also a Christian at that time, but I thought that God was only interested in me while I was in the church during Bible studies and Sunday services. But from this young man, I learnt to take everything to God in prayer, and converse with him in everything. But my initial prayer was for my life; I became sober and pleaded for mercy from God who gives it freely. I told him to forgive me, and that I wanted to be in a close relationship with him. I repented that day. I wanted to end my study there, but something, which I later came to know as the Holy Spirit pushed me further. I also recalled that the bulk of Nehemiah’s prayer was just reminding God of his words, promises, and deeds. That changed my prayer approach!

Four months! For four good months, this young man was still sober concerning his country; he had not forgotten his request to God as many youths do today. As the wine steward, he had the leverage and opportunity to ‘drink away his sorrows, but didn’t, till his countenance was noticed by the king when he was served wine by Nehemiah. “Nehemiah had always been cheerful from the onset, what’s the issue with him now?” The king thought. The king expressed his thought through words and asked NEHEMIAH what the issue was, and Nehemiah told him everything about his country and how he was burdened to go and set things right. The emperor asked, “What is it that you want?” Now that’s what I’ll call favour and answered prayer! Undoubtedly, Nehemiah took the opportunity, poured out his mind, and asked for permission to go and rebuild the broken walls of his city. The king did not just permit him but also gave him the necessary resources to carry it out.

 "And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me." -Nehemiah 2:8

When he got to Jerusalem, he told no one what had happened or transpired between him, God and Artaxerxes. He got home and started inspecting the walls, secretly and carefully.  He made no noise, as the present generation would do on any little achievement. After the inspection, he rose to speak to the people, “See what trouble we are in because Jerusalem is in ruins and its gates are destroyed! Let’s rebuild the city walls and put an end to our disgrace.” - Neh 2:17. What a country will Nigeria be if a leader can say these words and actually live by them! If leaders would be concerned with eradicating shame from the country, than encouraging it. If they will be concerned about fixing the gates than feeding their guts, things would be a lot better.

In rebuilding this wall, Nehemiah didn’t see it as a weight he could bare solely on his shoulders, he carried every single person along, as the wall was built in sections by different families and persons. Persons in diverse occupational fields, assisted also; the blacksmiths, the Levites, the priests, the perfume makers, and the rest. We in Nigeria need to realize that building our broken wall is to be done by every single person, both great and small, residing in it. It is everybody’s business. It is the work of the pastors, engineers, bricklayers, politicians, doctors, traders, students, lecturers, businessmen and women, lawyers, etc. 

You will think the journey was smooth for Nehemiah and that he never faced opposition, but on the contrary he did! They were the STG team! It taught me that oppositions and challenges are bound to come and shake me. This team that opposed Nehemiah consisted majorly of men like Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem; who was an Arabian. The oppositions these men offered weren’t just physical, but moral, emotional and psychological. They told him "...even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall." -Neh 4:3

 But Nehemiah took their mockery to God and continued building. The way fetish men frequent their deities, should be the way Christians frequent their God! The STG team plotted against Nehemiah and those building the wall, but Nehemiah and his men prayed to God and kept men on guard against them day and night. Their expression of faith with works simply meant that their faith was alive! They all worked with diligence as they were vigilant.

In his regime, Nehemiah experienced both external and internal conflicts, as his own countrymen were in conflict with themselves concerning oppression. He was open and publicly told the elders that they were doing things wrong and ought to obey God and do what’s right. He was an impartial ruler who handled matters the right and just way. Throughout his regime for 12 years, he was unselfish. He didn’t put burdens on his subjects, as his predecessors did. He said, “I acted differently because I honoured God. I put all my energy into rebuilding the wall and did not acquire any property…” - Neh5:15-16. He fed his people, instead of them feeding him. He was a righteous governor, he did a lot for them, and in turn, God blessed him.

So, it’s so evident that the story of this man changed my life and the way I saw things. He’s one of the characters I saw in that book that laid a positive example for men to see and follow. I hope that every young person, will learn from him, and rise up to be what God expects of them. To be governors in their little circles, representing God and all He stands for.

You are all governors!  

Written by Caleb Ayeni

Shallom 💗