In Nehemiah, chapter one, verse one, he left for Persia for Jerusalem to be governor of Judah. Nehemiah came thirteen years after Ezra arrived there. He comes with a commission from the King of Persia to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, which had been broken down after Ezra attempted to rebuild the city, as in Ezra four, verses twelve and twenty-three, and to fortify the city, as in Nehemiah two, verse seven through eight. Despite much opposition, Nehemiah completed the wall in fifty-two days, as in chapter six, verse fifteen. He was a man of ability, courage, perseverance, and prayer, who cooperated with Ezra in bringing spiritual renewal to the people., as in chapter eight.
The majority of men, even if touched by spiritual fervor, find it hard to keep on the high levels for long. Breathing is easier lower down. As is often the case, a brighter flame of zeal burned in the bosoms of sympathizers at a distance than in those of the actual workers, whose contact with hard realities and petty details disenchanted them.
So Nehemiah prepared himself for his work by brooding over the tidings with tears, by fasting, and by prayer. There is no other way of preparation. Without the sad sense of men’s sorrows, there will be no earnestness in alleviating them, nor self-sacrificing devotion; and without much prayer, there will be little consciousness of weakness or dependence on divine help. God prepares His servants for their work by laying on their souls a sorrowful realization of the miseries which other men regard, and they have often regarded, very lightly. The men who have been raised to do great work for God and men, have always to begin by greatly and sadly feeling the weight of the sins and sorrows which they are destined to remove. No man will do worthy work of rebuilding the walls that have not wept over the ruins.