Then my God put it into my mind to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be registered by genealogy. I found the genealogical recorded of those who came back first, and I found written in it: These are the people of the province who went up among the captive exiles deported by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Each of them returned to Jerusalem and Judah, to his own town. Nehemiah 7:5-6 HCSB
I cannot say that God has audibly spoken to me, but I have definitely felt God speaking to me through my thoughts and feelings. There have been many times in my life I have prayed for guidance and direction in making decisions. God has sometimes spoken to me through His Word, other people, friends, and circumstances. God is not a silent God. He will answer if we seek His direction. Sometimes His answer is “Wait” and sometimes it is “No,” although we may not want to accept it. Irregardless, God is faithful to answer the prayers of His children.
Obviously Nehemiah had been praying and seeking God’s direction on how to secure and protect the city of Jerusalem. He knew that just building the wall was not enough to protect the city. God put into Nehemiah’s mind the direction of gathering the people together for a census to register everyone. The census would provide a record of who was in or around the city of Jerusalem and would help Nehemiah determine who needed to move back to Jerusalem.
Challenge: Seek God’s direction and leadership in everything you do and say. Be still and listen for God to speak to you through His Word, through other people, and through circumstances.