“Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” Nehemiah 2:17 NIV.

Nehemiah was the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes the king of Shushan. He had a noble position to serve the king’s wine, and he was favored by the king – but Nehemiah was a Jew in exile. He prayed day and night for the people of Israel and one day the king noticed that Nehemiah was very despondent. Because the king favored Nehemiah, he asked Nehemiah what was troubling him?

Nehemiah had prayed that God would move on the heart of the king, so he quickly responded that he was heartbroken over the state of his country, Israel. When the jews were taken in exile into Babylon, Jerusalem had been left in ruin. Its walls had been burned down, and the city was left unprotected. The king asked Nehemiah what did he want to do about it?

Nehemiah saw his opportunity and requested that the king give him leave to go back to Jerusalem, to rebuild the wall, and to bring restoration to the city. The king consented and Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to oversee this enormous project.

So, it is with America. Our country’s walls have been torn down -not by war, (at least not yet) but by sin and our indifference to God and to the Word of God. We hear about groups who claim to “love democracy” but conspire to kill others and unite to replace the government with oppressive leaders. Those who believe that their way of thinking is the right way for all.

John says, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. “1 John 4:20. NIV.

We have allowed Satan to infiltrate and destroy our spiritual walls, while the stone walls, those things that made America stand out in the world, deteriorate and collapse. Nehemiah was a man that prayed his way back to Jerusalem.  America must pray its way back to God.

The walls that need repairing are not stone walls but walls in the spirit. The enemy has taken away our zeal for God and held us in bondage to our own self-will. What we want is what is most important, and anyone who tries to stop us, well we kill. Either by spewing hateful words with our mouths, or literally with guns.

Without God in our lives, this country will never be great.   God must be the center of our lives to be truly great. And the love that flowed through Nehemiah was a great love for his God, his people that were in bondage, and for his country.

“Loving God includes loving people.  You’ve got to do both.” 1 John: 4:21 The Message.