Building with One Hand and Bracing with the Other Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?” Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!” Then I prayed, “Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land! Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in front of the builders.” At last the wall was completed to half its height around the entire city, for the people had worked with enthusiasm. But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious. They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves. Then the people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves.” Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.” The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, “They will come from all directions and attack us!” So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows. Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!” (Nehemiah 4:1-14 NLT) Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. (1 Chronicles 29:11 NLT) We’ve seen that Nehemiah faced his share of opposition from early on when he set out to rebuild the wall. Even before he started building, there were the naysayers, the doubters and the discouragers. Those of us who have stepped out in faith to do something a little less than popular can no doubt relate. Sometimes it is a startling task or sometimes it’s simply walking in Truth that has others coming out of the woodwork to stand in our way. Regardless of what the Lord is asking you to do in obedience, how are you responding to the opposition? Knowing His power to make His will happen is not an invitation to rest. In fact, it is in these times we need to keep on building with one hand and bracing ourselves for the attacks with the other. Because when we step out in His name, the attacks will come. We must guard our hearts, day and night. (Nehemiah 4:9, NIV) We must post our defenses in our weakest points, ready to defend, with other followers, with the strength of His word, with the power of the Holy Spirit. (Nehemiah 4:13, NIV) We continue with our work, defending not out of fear, but out of love. For as followers, we know we can be secure in His greatness, crying out to Him, “The power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.” (1 Chronicles 29:11, NIV) So how will you respond to the opposition in your walk today? Will you drop your trowel and walk away from the task? Or will you defend what God has put on your heart to do and brace yourself with Truth? We’re praying for you, sisters, and we’re by your side, step-by-step and brick-by-brick. Let’s let no one put an end to the work we are doing for His kingdom.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Aug 2013 15:10:10 +0000
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