Lessons from a Cupbearer

“So we rebuilt the wall… for the people worked with all their heart.”

Nehemiah 4:6 (NIV)

Nehemiah was a layman in exile, working as a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes. In other words, he was expendable. He drank the wine to be served to the monarch. If it was poisoned by the king’s enemies, the cupbearer took the fall for the ruler. This cupbearer, however, was unique.

Nehemiah had a burden for his hometown. How did he turn his weight into a gate? Nehemiah is known for the extraordinary work he did to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, but one doesn’t accomplish such a feat alone. It took a plan and a band.

Here’s his sketch:

• Burden 1:4
• Prayer 1:5-11
• Audience 2:1-3
• Target 2:5
• Deadline 2:6
• Resources 2:7-8
• Research 2:11-15
• Work 2:17-18

How about you?

• Do you have a burden?
• Have you prayed about it?
• Who speaks into your life? Whose words do you give audience to, in your quest to write? Who is on your team?
• What is your target? Nehemiah concentrated on one job. The city had other problems, but he didn’t focus on them.
• Do you have a deadline, self-imposed or from an editor?
• Have you gathered your resources?
• What kind of research will you need to do?
• How will you hunker down to do the work?

In chapter three, the project is divided into manageable sections. How can you measure out the words in front of you?

Learn from a wall-builder:

4:14 Remember your “why.”

4:8-9 Pray against distractions.

4:16-18 Prepare for the unknown.

Do you feel as if your words are expendable? Take a lesson from a cupbearer and refill your cup before your heavenly King. He will set your burden into motion with rewarding work.

Exercise:

What burdens do you carry? Journal your heart’s passion. That is your “why.”

Write a prayer, asking the Lord to show you how to put that passion into action.

Why do you write? This is different than your why, because of the medium used. Put that after the prayer.

What keeps you from following your passion? Brainstorm ways to avoid distractions.

Prepare for the unknown, by eliminating procrastination. Chip away at your project daily until you know you have put your whole heart into it. One day, you’ll look up and see the physical results of your daily build.

Call someone for accountability and become prayer warriors for each other. You will both win!

Over 140 of Sally Ferguson’s devotionals have been published in Pathways to God (Warner Press). She’s also written for Light From The Word, Chautauqua Mirror, Just Between Us, Adult Span Curriculum, Thriving Family, Upgrade with Dawn and ezinearticles.com. Prose Contest Winner at 2017 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference.

Sally loves organizing retreats and seeing relationships blossom in time away from the daily routine. Her ebook, How to Plan a Women’s Retreat is available on Amazon.

Sally Ferguson lives in the beautiful countryside of Jamestown, NY with her husband and her dad.

Visit Sally’s blog at www.sallyferguson.net