August 30: Nehemiah 2:17-20
 
Key Verse: Nehemiah 2:19
But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. ‘What is this you are doing?’ they asked. ‘Are you rebelling against the king?’
 
Devotion:
When Nehemiah went to see the state of the city, he did not make a big fuss about things but instead rode out of the city at night-time as if he was going somewhere else. After looking at the state of the walls, he returned to speak to the officials about what he saw. Sometimes it does take a harsh word to be spoken in truth which will make us think hard about what we are doing or the state we are in...  
 
The once proud city lay in ruins and the walls and gates were no longer doing their jobs! Nehemiah wanted people to take a good look at where they were at in their lives in Jerusalem but also to know God was still there for them and on their side. He told them of the grace of God which had already allowed him to come to them and even to bring the supplies required to rebuild things.
 
As with all logistics, you can imagine the supplies arriving sometime after he had done this all, after all there was not a lot of ‘airmail cargo’ being delivered back then! Nehemiah knew God was behind him being allowed to return and nothing was going to get in the way; not even the people who stood up and mocked him! You could imagine it; no supplies had arrived yet and they would have known he was a slave just a short while ago!
 
His answer was one of full trust and faith in God. Just like when David stood up in front of Goliath, Nehemiah was now standing up in front of the mockers and scorners. That day was going to be the day things were to change, because God was in control again! When we allow God to be in control and put our faith and trust in Him, things work!
 
Points to Ponder:
Are you facing big decisions in your life?
 
Are you allowing God to guide you?