Thoughts for the Day

So we rebuilt the wall, and all the wall was joined together to half its height; for the people had a mind to work. But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and the gaps were beginning to be closed, they were very angry, and all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. So we prayed to our God, and set a guard as a protection against them day and night....

But Judah said, ‘The strength of the burden-bearers is failing, and there is too much rubbish, so that we are unable to work on the wall.’ And our enemies said, ‘They will not know or see anything before we come upon them and kill them and stop the work.’ ..... I stationed the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. After I looked these things over, I stood up and said to the nobles and the officials and the rest of the people, ‘Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your kin, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.’

When our enemies heard that their plot was known to us, and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and body-armour; and the leaders posted themselves behind the whole house of Judah, who were building the wall..... And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. And I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, ‘The work is great and widely spread out, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. Rally to us wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet. Our God will fight for us.’

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Despite ridicule and mockery from Sanballat the Governor of Samaria, Nehemiah and his people start to build the walls of Jerusalem, replacing gate after gate to the city and repairing the broken walls, believing this is their God-given task. However, their opponents now decide to resort to violence. Nehemiah's answer is four-fold - to ask the people to pray to God for help, to set a watch day and night on the walls for attack by those who seek to stop them, and then to place men close to their homes and families to protect both the wall and their wives and children. Finally Nehemiah orders half the men to prepare to fight and the other half to build the walls, with the result that the builders end up holding a trowel in one hand with a sword strapped to their side ready to repel any attack that comes their way.

When we take on a new venture, whatever it is - a job, a move, a fresh project - or answer a call to help someone, we need to be sure we commend it to God. However, God expects us to use the gifts He has already given us to do the best job we can. What we should never do though, is to go-it-alone! Use our own brains and ingenuity and also ask for God's help.

Lord God Almighty,
sometimes the future seems scary,
but help us to accept the opportunities
and challenges that are offered,
and to commend them to You.
You have given us gifts to carry out the work
that we take on,
but help us never to forget
that You stand ready to help
when we need You.
Amen.