There once was a guy named Nehemiah. He was a pretty good guy, with a pretty good job. Nehemiah worked for the king. One day Nehemiah got word that the walls that once surrounded his homeland were broken down and the gates had been destroyed by fire. When Nehemiah heard this, his heart was broken and he wept. After discussing the matter with his boss, the king, Nehemiah got permission to return to his homeland, for a time, in order to rebuild the walls.
You may have heard this story before, you may have not. Whatever the case may be, the story of Nehemiah has been one that has fascinated me for awhile now. I am currently re-reading through the book, and there is so much that God is showing me. However, today I was reading from chapter six. As soon as Nehemiah and the others started rebuilding the wall, the people around them started to "oppose the work." Opposition came, yet the work on rebuilding the wall continued. When the opposition could not stop the rebuilding of the wall, they tried another tactic. They decided that they would just attack Nehemiah.
Can you imagine what this must have been like for Nehemiah? What an exhausting and emotional drain this would have been on him. First he finds out that his homeland is in need of help, so he goes to help them, only to find strong opposition. Then he has to chastise his own people for their opression of the poor, and on top of this, the guy is coordinating a massive construction project. All of that is enough to make him weak. While this is speculation, I would venture to say that Nehemiah was probably at one of his weakest points during this time. Then, it is at this point, that the opposition started to personally attack Nehemiah.
You can read in chapter six of Nehemiah what they tried to do, and how Nehemiah would not fall for their traps, but finally, in verse nine, Nehemiah says, "For [the opposition] wanted to freighten us, thinking, 'Their hands will drop from their work, and it will not be done.'" The whole point of the opposition was to distract Nehemiah and the Israelites from completing the task assigned to them by the Lord.
That happens to us so often in life. God has given us a task to complete, yet we are attacked from all sides. Sometimes the attacks are more personal than others, but the purpose of those attacks is to distract us from the work to which we are called. I love what Nehemiah says at the end of verse nine. "But now, O God, strengthen my hands." Nehemiah was weak and tired, and he was still being attacked. So, he cried out to God, "Strengthen my hands."
So, learn a lesson from Nehemiah. Persevere through the trials and temptations. Be prepared, for when you are at your weakest point, you will still be attacked. Most importantly, make sure you are not facing them on your own. Nehemiah knew where his strength came from. Know where your strength comes from and cry out to God, for that strength.
The story doesn't stop with Nehemiah crying out to God. In chapter 12 of the same book we see that the wall is being dedicated. That means the task was completed! Nehemiah did his part, he was strenghtened by God, and the task was completed. If you read those verses, Nehemiah shares about what people were present at the dedication of the temple, and what they did, but I love the line at the end of verse forty-three. "And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away." The result of the completion of the task was joy and thanks to God. Not only was joy heard in Jerusalem where the people had completed the task, but the joy was heard far away. The completion of the task was felt in more than one place. When we persevere and complete the tasks God gives us, others will know. God's name will be glorified, for He is the source of our strength.