Stories on the Wall

by Joel Ready

“They said to me, ‘Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.’ When I heard these things, I sat down and wept” (Nehemiah 1:3-4a).

The story of Nehemiah is the story of one man’s quest to rebuild a nation that had been physically and spiritually broken down. God had judged Israel by destroying the beautiful city of Jerusalem, once the greatest city in the world. Nehemiah set out from the nation of Babylon, walking in the steps of many men who had attempted the same thing, and failed. Rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, both physically and spiritually, had proven before to be a task to great for any one man.

But Nehemiah was different. Sent in the authority of the King – the King of Heaven who had called him, and the king of Babylon, who had allowed him to go and had sent him with authority to rebuild the city, Nehemiah took a group of men dedicated to changing their nation. And change it they did. After some 70 years of seeing Jerusalem lying dormant, and nearly a quarter century of men trying and failing to rebuild, Nehemiah organized the Israelite people to rebuild the wall in merely 52 days. How did he do it?

Nehemiah faced numerous obstacles, but he organized the people to rebuild near their homes, giving them incentive to throw their hearts into the work. He pushed them to rebuild in the Name of God, in the name of the Jerusalem they loved so much. Sometimes they built, sometimes they had to fight, and sometimes they had to do both. They worked carrying bricks in one hand, and a sword in the other.

Today, God has called us to do the same. He has placed us in different places, and in different professions. Some of us are called to be pastors, some to be doctors, some to be owners of coffee shops, some to run for public office. Some of us are bloggers, speakers, artists, debaters, and linguists. All of us are called to rebuild – something, somewhere. This nation is broken down. The walls have been completely destroyed.

City on the Hill has produced students who are walking with God in every part of the public and private world. He has sent us all over this nation to accomplish his goals, and he does not distinguish between bus drivers and politicians – all are called to be part of the rebuilding in one part of the other – all are called to be rebuilders.

This section of our newsletter is going to chronicle the “post-City” exploits of our alumni, who slowly, but dynamically, change their world for Christ. Quite simply, the stories that will appear here will be “stories from the wall” – interviews and news about our alumni, and where God has called them to rebuild.  Join us next month as we kick off the “Stories from the Wall” section with Kaely Roe, student from  2003 who now works with the Maryland Catholic Conference and owns “Severna Perk” – a coffee shop in Severna Park.