The spiritual Jerusalem has never been in ruins

A few days ago, I was reading the first chapter of the Book of Nehemiah. The chapter began with Nehemiah weeping about the condition of Jerusalem:

The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.  They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire."  When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.

As I read through the rest of the chapter, Nehemiah's prayer struck a chord in my heart. I began to think of the condition of Christianity today, of the church, and my own church, which I have attended since as far as I can remember.

I bowed my head in prayer and began to lament:

"Lord, the church – your spiritual Jerusalem – is in ruins..."

I had barely prayed that when God interrupted, saying:

"The spiritual Jerusalem has never been in ruins, because the Lord himself preserves it."

This is a comforting thought.

Even in a time of great rebellion and apostasy, as things stand right now, God reserves for Himself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal (1 Kings 19:18; Romans 11:4).

It is also a reminder that God draws the boundaries of His church quite differently from the way we humans do, for Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36)

But there is something which is still in ruins, and it must be fixed.