Lasting results

Nehemiah 13:14 Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.

When I read this prayer of Nehemiah, something resonates in my own heart about his desire.  The entire story of Nehemiah is of a man who was called by God to do something seemingly entirely foreign to his experience and his personality.  He was a cup-bearer to the king in his exile from his homeland yet his heart ached over the situation in his home county, and he had spent time in prayer about it.  Then when God made it clear to him that he should be in charge he did so.  In this final chapter of his story he again had to step up and be strong in leadership, which he did.  I see here the essence of true, God-blessed, God-ordained leadership.  He saw what was wrong and took steps to correct things, which was good, but his prayer tells me it was not easy for Nehemiah to do.  He wanted to be sure that he had done something God would bless by making it a lasting result, whether it was done perfectly or not.  That is my own prayer as well.