“There Was No Room for the Animal Under Me to Pass”

Greetings in the mighty name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Today, I invite you to reflect on a powerful lesson from the life of Nehemiah—a man who teaches us what it truly means to carry a divine burden, even when it means walking alone.

1. The Call to Rebuild What Is Broken

Nehemiah was not a prophet, priest, or king. He was a cupbearer to the Persian king (Nehemiah 1:11), yet his heart was burdened when he heard that the walls of Jerusalem were in ruins.

“As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”
—Nehemiah 1:4

Nehemiah’s story reminds us that calling does not always come with titles or public platforms. God often uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Just as He called Moses from the wilderness (Exodus 3), David from the sheepfold (1 Samuel 16), and the disciples from their fishing nets (Matthew 4:19), He also called Nehemiah from the king’s palace to the broken city walls. This is grace-driven mission—God placing His burden on our hearts for His purpose (Philippians 2:13).

2. Counting the Cost and Moving Quietly

When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he didn’t immediately announce his mission. He spent three days in silence, then went out at night with only a few men to examine the damage.

“Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem.”
—Nehemiah 2:12

He surveyed the walls discreetly. Then came a critical moment:

“Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass.”
—Nehemiah 2:14

Here lies the heart of the message: There are places in the journey of faith where your “animal”—your resources, status, comfort, or support systems—cannot go with you. Like Jesus in Gethsemane (Luke 22:41), or Paul when “all deserted me” (2 Timothy 4:16), there are moments when the calling becomes deeply personal and solitary. God allows this to strip away reliance on anything but Him. Spiritual maturity involves stepping off the “animal” and walking in total obedience—even if no one else sees it or walks with you.

3. Standing in the Gap

After Nehemiah assessed the damage, he finally revealed his plan and encouraged the people to rebuild.

“You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.”
—Nehemiah 2:17

This echoes God’s own heart as revealed in the book of Ezekiel:

“And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.”
—Ezekiel 22:30

Standing in the breach means stepping into places where others are absent. It is priestly intercession and prophetic action combined. This is what Christ ultimately did—He stood in the breach as our intercessor and sacrifice (Hebrews 7:25, Isaiah 53:5). Likewise, God still seeks people willing to stand for truth, holiness, and healing in a broken world.

4. Rebuilding Amid Resistance

When the work began, opposition followed. Nehemiah was mocked:

“Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!”
—Nehemiah 4:3

But Nehemiah didn’t give up. The builders worked with weapons in one hand and bricks in the other (Nehemiah 4:17–18). This symbolizes the balance between building the Kingdom and guarding against spiritual attacks (Ephesians 6:11–17).

Ministry and mission are spiritual warfare. Rebuilding lives, families, churches, or truth-based teaching won’t come without resistance. But perseverance is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), and God’s grace empowers us to endure (2 Corinthians 12:9).

5. A Legacy That Endures

Despite the challenges, Nehemiah and the people completed the wall in just 52 days (Nehemiah 6:15). His legacy remains recorded in Scripture as a testimony of faith, courage, and obedience.

So what does this mean for us today?

There are broken “walls” all around us—youth losing faith, families without spiritual foundations, churches drifting from truth, communities filled with injustice. God is still looking for people to rebuild what has been broken, not just physically, but spiritually.

The question is: Will we rise and build—even if it means walking alone at times?

If so, let us be ready to:

• Walk in obedience even when others don’t understand.
• Let go of things that can’t follow us into the narrow paths of faith.
• Preach, pray, teach, serve, or stand for truth—no matter the cost.

Rebuilding has a cost—but it also has eternal rewards.

*“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that *in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
—1 Corinthians 15:58

May the Lord give us strength and boldness to walk where even the “animal” cannot pass.

Shalom.

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