More on the theme of building

Third bit that caught my eye about building in the last little while (first bit wasn't in this blog, but it's still continuation from the last post:)) The verse in Nehemiah 2:20 I think whatever each one of us is "building" may that encourage us!

I actually liked the Finnish translation more. For those of you who can Finnish: "Taivaan Jumala auttaa meitä. Olemme hänen palvelijoitaan ja ryhdymme rakennustöihin."

In Finnish it gives you the sound of more like God is with us and will help us in our process.

It just sounds very affirming: God will help us.

I think this message translation of it is pretty cool too though:

I shot back, "The God-of-Heaven will make sure we succeed. We're his servants and we're going to work, rebuilding. You can keep your nose out of it. You get no say in this—Jerusalem's none of your business!"

Hehe talk about attitude, confidence! :) Actually the whole story is quite nice, so I'll put it up here. It has many interesting things in it...

Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem's Walls

I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days I set out during the night with a few men. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.

By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.

Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace." I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, "Let us start rebuilding." So they began this good work.

But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. "What is this you are doing?" they asked. "Are you rebelling against the king?"

I answered them by saying, "The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it."

- Nehemiah 2:11-20

Picture: inner yard in Kamppi, Helsinki