Friday 4 Sep 2020

September 4: Nehemiah 4:21-23
 
Key Verse: Nehemiah 4:23
Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.
 
Devotion:
How ready are you to fight for something you believe in. We see and hear about many people on the media who are standing up and fighting for things they believe in. People all around the world are rebelling against authorities who have not done what they said they would do or have not stood up for justice. People demand justice, especially when so much of the world is in turmoil – we may think governments are too busy fighting one thing to focus on what the public are demanding... but whom do they stand up for? Is it not the public?
 
I’m not suggesting we all start a rebellion or anything like that yet, but what I would like to focus on is the strength we gain from standing up together and doing what we believe is right or righteous. God has always wanted us to stand up for righteousness and indeed to stand up for those who struggle to stand up for themselves.
 
In these verses we see and insight into how the people of Jerusalem were strengthened and spurned on to finish the rebuilding of the wall because they were all working together. They knew an enemy was waiting at the gate (metaphorically and possibly physically speaking) and they knew they had to stand up to the enemy. They had already lived through oppression and nobody felt like they could stand up against these people any more than anyone else – but together they could!
 
When we want to do something for and with God, we need to look around and find the people who are willing to stand up with us and fight for justice, fight for God and know He is going to back us up when we listen to His instruction. Nehemiah acted on God’s instructions and not his own wants and desires – his heart was driven by God!
 
Points to Ponder:
DO you walk away from confrontation just to keep the peace?
 
Are you willing to stand up and do what God asks?