I Was Cupbearer to the King

This final verse of Nehemiah 1 is a simple statement, but it also tells us a lot about Nehemiah as a leader.

It gives us the context of his leadership – serving the king while the Jews were returning to their land after 125 years in exile. The Jews were a despised remnant, living among ruins, fearing for their safety, and perhaps even envious of those who stayed in exile in other countries. This was a tough context for Nehemiah to lead in.

I see some parallels between his context and ours. Like Nehemiah, we’re faced with ruins all around us. Physical ruins created as we quickly moved off base to a new home and office. Emotional ruins created as we shared news with partners. Ministry ruins as our 13 year track record was reset to 0 in some people’s minds. And even the ruins in our own hearts. This is the context I feel like we’re in. Like Israel, we have a lot of restoring, rebuilding, and healing to do. And like Nehemiah, we must lead those who are counting on us, those the Lord has called us to serve.

Nehemiah’s role as cupbearer also gives us insight into his leadership qualities and competencies. I’m not going to cover them all, but I was fascinated by what I learned reading “Becoming Nehemiah – Leading with Significance” by David L. McKenna. Nehemiah began with menial tasks and worked his way up in responsibility and trust. He learned to serve under authority which is critical before a leader can effectively lead with authority. He learned to analyze situations, plan, and activate people to get the work done. He learned attention to detail, how to anticipate conspiracy or other problems, and how to adapt to crisis. And with the king’s life on the line as well as his own, Nehemiah also learned to account for his results. Wow! All that as cupbearer to the king.

Despite all the challenges and worldly temptations, Nehemiah did not compromise his faith, forget his roots, or abandon his lifestyle of worship and prayer. We learn this about him as early as chapter 1.

Nehemiah was cupbearer to the king. As I reflected on his simple yet powerful statement, I asked myself the following questions.

How well am I serving in the menial tasks I have right now? How well can I be trusted by those above and below me in position? And through both personal challenges and those that weigh on my mind for this ministry, have I abandoned my faith? Have I backslid at all in my devotion?

What can I learn from Nehemiah for my own role as cupbearer to the King? (capital K)

FlashPoint

For the youth in South Africa, the odds seem against them.

•1 in 4 people have HIV/AIDS
•1 in 3 youth have lost a parent, and 1 in 5 have lost both
•1 in 5 youth have been raped or molested
•1 in 4 homes don’t have enough to eat, and 2 in 5 have no one employed
•2 in 3 youth don’t think they are smart enough to achieve their dreams
•1 in 10 don’t believe they will ever have a job

While the statistics are overwhelming, God’s potential and purpose for our youth is greater. That’s where FlashPoint comes in…

FlashPoint’s mission is to model, equip, and multiply godly leaders among our youth empowering them to lead with positive impact.

In partnership with South Africa’s Department of Education, FlashPoint mentors at-risk youth through leadership training, HIV/AIDS prevention, and life skills development which is accomplished through godly national men and women we call “coaches”.

Mr. Mokuena, Acting Director, TMed stated, ”Noting the influence that the programme has brought to our learners in the schools they have worked with…the District continues to allow [Ignite South Africa] a grace to work with the number of the schools that the institution can handle.” So once again we are blessed with district-wide approval to teach in the public schools in 2011 and beyond.

We are thrilled with this open door, and the confidence the school district has invested in our team. This year we will be teaching in 12 schools, reaching over 3500 learners in our biweekly classes. Additionally, we will hold quarterly youth leadership conferences and impact 13 additional schools through our Living on Purpose and Get Real Assemblies.

Our prayer is that each of our learners will experience the love of God and truth He has for their individual circumstances, and they will learn to trust Him to meet all of their needs.

Nehemiah Prayed

After Nehemiah heard the heart-breaking news about Jerusalem, he mourned, fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven. As I read this, I think about the countless hours I’ve spent in prayer – for Thrive Africa, for Ignite South Africa, for the precious people that God wants to reach with His love. I know that the Lord hears my prayers and that He’s in control of all things. I just need to keep my faith that things will work out according to his perfect plan and timing.

Nehemiah’s prayer began with worship of our great and awesome God. We use the words “great” and “awesome” so much that I think we’ve lost sense of what they really mean. Think about them. And think about how “great” and “awesome” God really is. Wow! Nehemiah expresses thanks for the covenant of love that God has with His people – a covenant that the Lord continues to uphold even as we fall short so often. And as Nehemiah prays, he’s confident that the Lord is present and listening attentively. Wow again! Our great and awesome God hears our prayers. Pretty humbling if you really think about it!

Nehemiah’s prayer continued with confession. Not only did he confess the corporate sins of Israel, but he included himself in it. It’s important for us to recognize the power that both individual and corporate sin can have over us. We all fall short of the glory of God, so as godly leaders we need to lead people in confession, repentance, and forgiveness.

Nehemiah also prayed for himself as a leader. He knew he needed the Lord’s guidance, wisdom, and favor as he went to King Artaxerxes for help. As Believers, I think we all know the importance of prayer as a spiritual discipline. It’s how we talk to and hear from God. It’s critical to maintaining a close relationship with him. But as godly leaders, it’s also one of the most powerful tools in our toolkit. And it’s one we should use first rather than last when making a critical decision or taking a decisive action. I must confess, often times I pray as a last resort, after everything I’ve tried to do on my own has failed. Not only does Nehemiah give us a model for prayer, but he also models godly leadership.

Please pray for us. Please pray for me. Please pray for yourself as a godly leader.

Holiday Vacation

Over Christmas and New Year’s June, Amanda and I took a much needed break. June had a relative in town so we enjoyed time in Cape Town and then on a safari. We’re thankful for friends who gave us a place to stay, helping to keep costs down.

Here are some of the vacation highlights:

- Walking along the beaches, marina, and shops in Simon’s Town
- Going to Boulder beach and swimming with the penguins
- Attending Christmas service at Hillsong Church
- Seeing Cape Town from the top of Table Mountain
- Sightseeing along the V&A Waterfront
- Seeing a bunch of rhinos and giraffes on our overnight safari

It was so nice to get away and to enjoy more of South Africa. Hope you enjoy the picture slideshow!

Christmas Blessings

I hope you had a blessed Christmas and New Year! I sure did!! One blessing for me was helping to deliver Christmas food parcels to our team of coaches – 16 young men and women so dedicated to mentoring young people through our school program.

While December is a time to celebrate Christ with family and friends, it can also be a hardship for our coaches. School is on break resulting in decreased wages, and most of our coaches provide the primary support for their immediate and even extended families. We so wanted to bless them during this season, but with beginning a new ministry, finances are tight on our end as well…

That’s when God showed up big-time, and through the generous support of others we raised enough money to provide each family with more than a month’s supply of food. Flour, sugar, beans, maize meal, rice, oil, canned fish, and sweet treats as well.

They were so overjoyed at the consideration and generosity. Over and over they thanked the Lord for His provision and for those who gave to bless them at Christmas. Our coaches also loved introducing us to their families and having their family pictures taken. It was a great day and a great way to celebrate the true meaning of the season.