Monday, February 6, 2012

Taunting remarks

[1] But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. [2] And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? [3] Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. [4] Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: [5] And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. Nehemiah 4:1-5

Sanballat is not happy when he hears the wall is being built. He is extremely angry and mocks the Jews. He doesn’t stop there but goes out and starts to mock and put them down to anyone who will listen. He goes to his brothers as well as the whole Samarian army. “Just look at what the feeble Jews are doing. Will they really be able to make the wall of the city strong? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish the work? Will they get stones out of the burnt dump?”

His fellow conspirator, Tobiah, is there with gloomy thoughts too, “The work is a mess, if a fox goes up on the wall it will fall down.” Discouragement, opposition, conflict, resistance is on all sides of Nehemiah and the people that are working on the wall.

What does Nehemiah do? He runs to a corner and cries! Absolutely not, Nehemiah does what he does best, prays. He cries out to God, “God turn what they are saying around to be on their own heads, don’t let their sin be covered up. God by provoking us they are provoking you. Nehemiah is not known for “mincing” works. He calls sin, sin.

Nehemiah is on a mission to repair the wall of Jerusalem. He will let nothing stop him.

Does God want you to do something? Maybe He wants you to speak to someone about Him? Maybe He wants you to do something at church? Maybe He is speaking to you about … Only you know. Keep at the task at hand, God is there for encouragement. Don’t be discouraged by what others say.

…for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13

Have a blessed day,
Donna

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