Old Testament

For most of my life, I was not a morning person. The older I get, the more I enjoy rising early to start the day. But it doesn’t happen quickly. Most days, without an alarm pounding my eardrums, I would sleep later than I should. If, however, the day promises something out of the ordinary and pleasant (e.g., the beginning of a vacation), I will wake up before the alarm clock goes off. But the prospect of an unpleasant day…

Nehemiah, the ancient wall builder of Jerusalem, often finds himself far down the list of favorite Bible personalities. That’s understandable. There is much to commend the more popular names of Abraham, Paul, David, Peter, or Moses. But Nehemiah deserves to be in the conversation, too. Consider some of his admirable traits. He Was Compassionate We are introduced to Nehemiah’s compassion for his people early in the first chapter of the book that bears his name. Though his hands were full…