Staying the Course, Nehemiah 6-8

Nehemiah is a wonderful story for the Christian who believes him/herself to under attack.  Nehemiah returns to his familial homeland to bring honor to God by leading the returning exiles in rebuilding the wall that once protected the proud city of Jerusalem.  The odds are stacked against him.  He does not have sufficient manpower.  The aliens that surround them oppose him.  Their are threats and acts of intimidation. Nehemiah is even tempted by a false prophet to enter into the temple where only the priests have access and thus violate God's edicts and damaging his position among the Israelites.  Sanballat and Tobiah do everything in their power including lies and plots of murder to keep Nehemiah from completing the task that God has called him to, but he remains steadfast at his post.  The result of his faithfulness is that the wall is completed in 52 days, a miracle of human accomplishment.  The wall had lain in ruins for 150 years, the people were disorganized and dispirited; but a man who had a vision and who was fueled by God's holy spirit unites them in the vision and they celebrate a victory that honors God and is spoken of 2500 years later.

Nehemiah persist because he knows that the project is bigger than he is; God will complete the work if he is obedient to that which he has control of.  A lesson for every Christian; our only choice is whether we will be faithful or not.  God knows the outcome, God will have the victory.  Will we stand the test?  Will we be found faithful?  Or will we buckle under a little pressure from the enemy around us?  "Should a man (or woman) such as I flee?"  Or do we stand our ground and do the task that God calls us to. 

Certainly God calls us to faithfulness, to be wall builders, folks who will stand in the gap and provide prayerful coverage to those who are weaker and who are still trying to grow their faith until they too are able to stand against the spiritual forces that would discourage them and cause them to lay down their hammer and desert their post.

When we stand together and each one does that task which God has set before us, the world will say, as it did when Nehemiah accomplished his impossible task, surely the Lord is with them.  Now that will be glory for God and treasure stored in heaven for us to enjoy on the day of our resurrection.

Peace be with you.....stand in your gap and be faithful to the end.