Nehemiah 3:1-32.

Nehemiah calls the people to work and delegates tasks appropriate to their gifts, skills and experience. There are links here with the New Testament image of the Body of Christ, gifts of the Spirit etc. One of the themes that emerges is that serving God is a wonderful privilege but it is also a responsibility to be shouldered. Jesus’ words about the ‘easy yoke’ (Mt. 11.29-30) come to mind – inviting, reassuring and challenging. Finally, what does it mean for the ‘walls’ of our church community if we’re not prepared to put our shoulders to the work (cf. 3.5)?