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A church in Barcelona, Spain has been under construction for 130 years; and it is still not finished. When they dedicate it in the year 2026, it will be the world’s tallest church. Icons of stone will portray all the biblical stories, and the structure will be so lavish, many will call it one of the wonders of the modern world. After 130 years, no doubt the dedication will be extensive. In ancient Israel, Nehemiah led in dedicating the rebuilt walls of Jerusalem. It followed many days of hard work. Not only did Nehemiah have to deal with apathy and pessimism from his own people, he had to deal with opposition and threats from nearby neighbors; and he had to deal with moral failures by some of his own leaders. Even though he was a man of prayer, he faced many challenges as he went about leading the people and building the wall. Finally, the day came for the dedication. He invited all Israel to gather and celebrate what God had done. But unlike many dedications that celebrate past achievements, Nehemiah called his people to commit themselves to follow God more perfectly in the future. They gave thanks for what God had enabled them to do, but they also brought offerings to assist the needy. For true worship is not only a vertical focus on God, it shows itself in the way we serve and obey all that pleases God.
