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Nehemiah 11:1-2, Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns.  The people commended all who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is the capital and the holy city.  It had the leaders and the temple employees but it needed real citizens to make it a defensible community.  It wasn’t easy to live there.  They still had the residents actively serving as guards.  The gates are complete, the wall is done, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be opposition.  They still haven’t let their guard down.  To live in Jerusalem, at that time, meant to be a rotating security guard of sorts.

A number of people volunteered to form the nucleus of the city.  We find their specific names listed in this chapter.  These were real people with real families and responsibilities who volunteered to do whatever they could, even if it was a significant interruption to their lives, in order to make Jerusalem a functioning society. 

Sometimes God asks us to interrupt our lives for his work in this world. 

Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, We love you and trust you.  We know that you have called each of us to some part of your work in this world.  For some of us, this will mean disruption and even interruption.  Lord, give us the courage to forge ahead, to do what you have called us to do regardless, and peace that you’ve got this.  In Your Name, Amen.