Nehemiah 2:1-8 / Luke 9:57-62
An employee is entitled a certain number of days of annual leave. If those days are taken up and the employee still needs more leave, then the employee may request for unpaid leave and it is up to the company to grant.
But given the tight job market in Singapore, requesting for unpaid leave is certainly quite risky and it will affect the appraisal of the employee, to say the least.
In the 1st reading, we heard that Nehemiah, a Jew who was the wine-cup bearer of the Persian king Artaxerxes, requested to take leave of his services to the king so as to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down by the enemies.
More than just asking to take leave, he also asked for the letters of authorisation and even for supplies to re-build the walls of Jerusalem.
Certainly, it was a very bold request for a mere servant to ask of his king.
But before making the request, Nehemiah called on the God of heaven and then made reply to the king and made the request.
And the king granted Nehemiah's request. And that shows us once again, how wonderful it is when we put our needs first into the hands of God and to ask for His blessings.
And more so when we take this direction in our work, then we will find joy and meaning in our work and through our work we will give glory to God.