Where There’s Blayze

I remember the night before I left for Bible college, Cliff College, to be exact. I was absolutely bricking it. I’d only been a Christian for about a year. I’d never lived away from home, and now I was heading off to a place full of people who probably fasted twice a week and had the entire New Testament memorised in Greek.

Naturally, I turned to YouTube. I don’t know what I was expecting, some hidden footage of spiritual awakening or divine cafeteria food? What I found were worship videos, clips from festivals, and shiny happy Christians looking like they’d just stepped out of the Transfiguration.

I thought, “I’m not going to fit in. These people are holy.”

But then I met Joe.

Meet Joe: A Man of God and Mild Madness

Joe is one of the most faithful Christians I know. A gifted worship leader, passionate about scripture, deeply convicted in his walk with Jesus.

But he’s also… Joe.

One time we were watching a boxing match. Two fighters squared up, taking their shirts off as they postured for the crowd. Joe, with total seriousness, turned to me and said, “If someone ever tries to fight me, I’m taking my trousers off.”

I asked why, obviously.

And he said, “Because nobody wants to fight the guy who’s just casually removing his trousers. It’ll confuse them too much.”

You know what? He’s probably right.

Joe also created a call signal for our group: if any of us were ever in trouble, we’d just shout, “Ahaaaa!” and the rest would come running, shouting the same. I wish I were joking. We’ve done this in Tesco. Loudly.

It’s hilarious. But also, kind of profound.

Because Joe taught me something about community: We need a way to call for help, and we need to know someone will come running.

Rebuilding the Wall: Nehemiah and the Fight for Hope

This brings us to Nehemiah 4. Jerusalem’s walls had been broken down, literal ruins surrounding a defeated people. Nehemiah returns from exile to lead a rebuilding project. But the wall wasn’t just about defence. It was about dignity, identity, and hope.

But here’s the thing: Not everyone wanted the wall rebuilt.

Sanballat, Tobiah, and the other local leaders mocked, threatened, and did everything they could to discourage the people. Fear was their tactic. Keep them scared, keep them broken.

And Nehemiah responds not with retaliation, but with unity. He stations people with trumpets. He says, “Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” (Nehemiah 4:20)

There it is again, the “Ahaaaa” moment. The call. The gathering. The declaration: We don’t fight alone. God fights for us.

Palm Sunday: The Sound of Salvation

Now fast-forward to Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. This is what we remember on Palm Sunday.

The city was still broken, this time under Roman occupation. The walls were rebuilt, but the hearts of the people were heavy. Religious leaders had grown corrupt. Injustice and fear reigned.

But then comes Jesus.

The people wave palm branches, throw down their cloaks, and cry out “Hosanna!”, which literally means “save us.” In doing so, they were sounding the alarm. Declaring: This is the one who will restore us. This is the King.

It’s the same pattern we see in Nehemiah: the people gather not to wage war, but to recognise that God is about to fight for them. Not with swords, but with a cross. Not with power, but with sacrifice.

Ubuntu: I Am Because We Are

Recently, I was at Spring Harvest and heard a preacher from Uganda speak about Ubuntu, an African concept meaning “I am because we are.”

He shared something challenging about the Western mindset. He said, “You’ve convinced yourselves that you are the centre of the universe. But when you believe that, everything must serve you. And when things don’t, you fall apart.”

Ubuntu reminds us that our humanity is tied to the humanity of others. That my well-being is bound to yours. If you are not well, I cannot be well. If you are suffering, then so am I. Only together can we be whole.

That is deeply biblical.

Paul says the same in 1 Corinthians 12:26: “If one member suffers, all suffer together.”

This is the church Jesus envisioned. Not lone warriors, but a gathered people. Sounding the trumpet. Crying “Hosanna.” Rallying together. Trusting that God fights on our behalf.

So, What About Us?

Are we sounding the alarm?

Are we building something in our communities that brings hope, healing, and restoration?

When we feel overwhelmed, spiritually, emotionally, or mentally, do we cry out for help? Or do we keep struggling in silence?

And when someone else cries out, do we come running?

Too often, we start a good work (rebuilding our lives, our families, our neighbourhoods) but then stop because it’s hard, or someone mocks us, or it doesn’t go according to plan. We forget the truth Nehemiah knew, and the crowds of Jerusalem shouted:

God will fight for us.

Let’s be a people who build.

Let’s be a people who rally.

Let’s be a people who cry “Hosanna” not just with palm branches, but with our lives.

Let’s be a people who remember, I am because we are.

If you’re under attack, sound the alarm.

If you hear the alarm, come running.

And never forget: Our God will fight for us.