The Nehemiah Tour
Words of Faith 6-9-26
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2026
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Nehemiah 2
[11] I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days [12] I set out during the night with a few men. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.
[13] By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. [14] Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; [15] so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. [16] The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.

When Nehemiah got to Jerusalem, he also took a tour. He needed some data. He needed to know just how bad the problems were. Nehemiah did not want the official Chamber of Commerce tour. Nehemiah needed to see reality. He went at night. He went alone. No spin doctors. Not even a military escort. That night, he saw it all. He went over every inch of the wall that lay in ruin around the city. He walked over every part of the problem.

Many times, the work of God must begin with a "Nehemiah Tour." It is a sort of "reality check" that helps us grasp the problem. Family healing will often start with a lengthy meeting that assesses with candor the depth of the problems. A church may take a careful look at problems that have gone unattended for years. A missionary may carefully guide a visitor to places tourists never see. It can be harsh. But until we see, we often do not even know how to pray.

A Nehemiah Tour may well be the beginning point for any large task or problem to which God calls us. Several years ago, I was invited by an inner-city ministry to travel with pastors on a bus tour of the city. But this was not a pleasure trip. We went to see all the places that the city fathers would not typically take a corporate investment team. We saw the crack houses, abandoned storefronts, places where people live under bridges, and the places where flesh is bought and sold. It was not a pleasant journey, but it was necessary.

Whether it is a potential plant closing, a budget shortfall, apathy among school leadership, or the need for a special ministry, we cannot begin to do God's work God's way until we take a "Nehemiah Tour" and know the scope of the problem and its spiritual depth. Nehemiah was not afraid to look. We must not be either.

A couple of years ago, we were in a Central American city with missionary friends. This is a city that has been devastated not only by poverty but by numerous hurricane strikes over the decades. We hired a car and driver to give us a tour, but we were very specific— We don’t want to see the places the cruise ship tours take you; we want the Nehemiah tour. We saw the devastation left by several hurricanes that had never been rebuilt. It was hard to look at, but we had to look, and then we prayed.

Sometimes it is a larger healing process that needs the Nehemiah tour. We may need to take a tour of our own town, church, or denomination to see just how far the walls have broken down. We may need to take a hard look at larger issues such as racism, sexism, or human trafficking. We may even need to take a personal moral inventory before the Lord regarding a larger issue.

I love this verse penned by the Lord through the Apostle Paul— Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test (2 Cor 13:5)?Or as the Psalmist put it— Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24).

Is there a task or a problem you have been afraid to look at? Is there something that seemed so large it seemed better just to stay away? Sometimes the things we do not see are the most frightening. God's solution often starts with a Nehemiah Tour. How bad is the damage? How crumbled the walls? How great the need? Where can we start? Perhaps today is a day to take a Nehemiah Tour.

Lord, open my eyes to the depth of the problem that is before me. Open my eyes to Your provision and grace. Remind me that nothing is impossible with God. Take me on the Nehemiah Tour that is necessary in my life. Walk with me as I face the need. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2025
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2025 Jeffrey D. Hoy.