Small is the gate and narrow is the way.

We mentioned before that Nehemiah did not carry excess baggage, having with him only the animal on which he was riding. So it is that those who would enter the work of restoration must not attempt to bring with them their own works and devices. We do not need "Saul's armor." We are to learn to walk with the Lord in simplicity and to rely on His Holy Spirit to meet all our needs.

Soon there was not room even for the one animal which Nehemiah was riding.

When we turn to God in sincerity God takes us at our word. When we tell the Lord that we want to do His will, that we want to restore all that has been destroyed by the lawlessness and rebellion of the Lord's people, God is delighted and sets the machinery in motion to accomplish what we say. It is the Father's good pleasure to give the Kingdom to those who ask; to those who seek; to those who knock.

Sooner or later we come to the place where all that we have brought with us is excluded. God wants us to meet Him on an individual basis. No other person can be present at that moment. None of our accustomed helps can be relied on. We stand alone in the Presence of our God, our Creator.

This is the moment of truth for us. This is the hour in which our motives are revealed. This is the point at which we learn our true identity and God's true identity. The confrontation with God takes place and we are changed for eternity.

After that point of truth we no longer are servants of the house of God. Now we have become servants of the God of the house of God. What a difference! But until we have been brought alone into the Presence of God we cannot experience the fullness of fruitfulness and rulership.

The way becomes so cluttered, so blocked, so impossible of travel, that there is only room for Jesus and His follower. How upsetting! How blessed!

Returning to the old foundations.

Notice that the first reaction of the world to the work of restoration was one of scorn:

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? (Nehemiah 2:19)

We who would put our hand to the work of restoration must be prepared for scorn, for being despised. We must be prepared to begin with what is—in the sight of the world—worthless and useless.

We must return to the old foundations of prayer and holiness, even though the popular crowd thinks that what we are doing is ignorant and despicable. To be counted among those who work with small, weak, despised things is a strong test of sainthood. Will we go outside the camp of respectability and bear the reproach of Christ?

Zerubbabel and Joshua were facing the same problem of shame as they began the reconstruction of the ruined Temple.

But this is what the Spirit of God said to these pioneers through Zechariah:

The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet [plumb line] in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth. (Zechariah 4:9,10)

To be continued.