Rise Up And Don’t Come Down

Today’s sermon recap is hot off the presses.  We have made it all the way to chapter 6 of Nehemiah.  Each week provides us with practical steps that we can take to rebuild the mess that we have made of our lives.  I do not know about you, but I am glad to have some help.  Enough babbling.  Let us get into the meat of Nehemiah 6.

When the chapter begins, we find Nehemiah on the wall—building.  He is engrossed in his work.  His enemies have gotten word that the work on the wall has been totally completed.  Which is not totally accurate.  The hard work of the community has gotten them to the point that they are ready to hang the doors in the gates.  So while the wall is not completed, it is awfully close to being finished.  His enemies have gathered and send messages to Nehemiah to entice him to come down from the wall.  They say they that just want to meet to discuss some issues, but Nehemiah sends a message back saying that he cannot come down.  What makes Nehemiah continue the work?

Nehemiah remembers why he started.  Ya’ll I am great at beginning a new task with vigor and enthusiasm.  My enthusiasm begins to wane the longer that it takes me to complete the task.  I welcome distractions.  Take for instance, writing this blog.  I start off knowing that I can smash my way through.  But any little ding on my phone can send me in downward Instagram spiral.  I forget why I started.  But not Nehemiah.  He is determined to finish what he has been blessed to begin.  He does not come down from the wall.

See, the thing about coming down from the wall is that it conflicts with his assignment.  God did not call him to have side conversations with his enemies.  God honored Nehemiah’s prayer and gave him the responsibility of overseeing the completion of the wall.  Lord, give me the same commitment that Nehemiah has.  When enemies or people come at me sideways, my first instinct is to stoop to their level.  Forget my assignment.  I get to thinking that I have been called to put people in their place.  And Satan just rejoices when that happens.  Ya’ll anything that conflicts with our assignment does not deserve our attention.  We have work to do.  We have our own walls to complete and that requires us to remain focused.

Nehemiah essentially held on to what had kept him all along.  He realized that distractions were strong, but ultimately God was stronger than any distraction.  He cried out to God and asked God to strengthen his hands.  We have already seen God move and work in Nehemiah’s favors.  He takes his problems with his enemies to THE only One that can handle it.  What an on-time reminder. 

Nehemiah’s enemies got stirred up when they thought the wall was completed.  They were intimidated by the power of the God Nehemiah served and wanted to do their level best to destroy his work.  This entire series has challenged me to look at where I stand in the building process.  Have I even picked up one of the dusty bricks that are around me, or am I just going along to get along?  Just know that I have been working on the rebuild, and it is messy work.  Distractions come from every angle, and today’s sermon reminded me why.  Satan does his level best to destroy God’s magnificent works in progress.  Especially when they are nearing completion.  But we have to stay on the wall.  Don’t you dare come down until the work is complete.  #wepreach

Questions to Ponder:

• Name one character issue that you have that needs to be corrected.
• Do you consciously work to improve it? Why or why not?
• When was the last time that outside influences distracted you from an assignment? What were the negative consequences of the distraction? What were the positive consequences of the distraction?