(Please forgive me for being a little late in posting, I just wrapped up small group… Sundays can be busy!)

Doesn’t it ever end? Sometimes when we tell other people about the work we are about to do we get ridiculed; as we’re doing the work we face opposition from those who don’t understand; and even as we complete a mighty task and seem to come out victorious, we still have to defend our motivation? Shouldn’t people begin to get on board with what we have vision for at least as it all begins to come together? Shouldn’t people start to understand after we’ve accomplished what we’ve set out to do? It seems like Nehemiah was constantly defending himself and God. Nehemiah completed his rebuilding after 52 days. 52 days! (A lot can be done even in a little bit of time. We’ve just got to say, “YES!” and go after it!) We see that as he clung to the Lord and followed earnestly after His work, Nehemiah was able to accomplish a mighty task. Although he didn’t merely have the hard work of a mighty task at hand, he also had the hard work of dealing with other people, opinions, scandals, and the temptation to give up. Matthew Henry says this of those who try and frighten us from our duty…

“Let us never decline a good work, never do a bad one. We ought to try all advice, and to reject what is contrary to the word of God. Every man should study to be consistent. Should I, a professed Christian, called to be a saint, a child of God, a member of Christ, a temple of the Holy Ghost, should I be covetous, sensual, proud, or envious? Should I yield to impatience, discontent, or anger? Should I be slothful, unbelieving, or unmerciful? What effects will such conduct have upon others? All that God has done for us, or by us, or given us, should lead us to watchfulness, self-denial, and diligence.”

Going back to one of my all-time favorite verses, Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Nehemiah’s courageous prayer upon service, temptation, and conflict was, “Now strengthen my hands.” (Ne. 6:9) We shouldn’t always shy away from a task, duty, or calling for fear it might be misunderstood. But, we should in turn, keep a good conscience (through prayer and study of God’s word) and trust God with our reputation.