Key events in today’s reading:

• Nehemiah’s Prayer (Nehemiah 1)
• Nehemiah Inspects the Walls (Nehemiah 2:11-20)
• Nehemiah Faces Opposition (Nehemiah 4)
• The Wall is Completed (Nehemiah 6:15)
• Ezra Reads the Law (Nehemiah 8)
• Dedication of the Wall (Nehemiah 12)

Verse that stood out: The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Recab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakerem. He rebuilt it and put its doors and bolts and bars in place.

There’s a good chance that Malkijah was late for the meeting where everyone signed up for their spot on the wall. Guess what was left? You got it, the Dung Gate. I don’t know much about the Dung Gate, but let’s assume for a minute that it is what it says it is. Nobody wants to rebuild the Dung Gate. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t need to be repaired. Let’s give Malkijah credit, he did his job just like everyone else.

Malkijah doesn’t get much credit for this in the pages of scripture. Like most acts of faithfulness, it goes unnoticed by the masses. But his work was important, nonetheless. You can’t have a complete wall without all the gates being repaired.

Got a thankless job to do this week? Be encouraged, even building a Dung Gate can be holy work if we set our hearts to it.

For tomorrow:

• Cover to Cover: Nehemiah 12:37-Job 6:15
• Key Passage: Job 1:1-22
• Verse of the Day: Job 1:1