“The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.”
I have been, I don’t want to say “stuck”, so i’ll say that I have been firmly planted in the book of Nehemiah for some time. I love the verse above, partially because it’s for sure where I am at at this moment, and partially because it reminds me of a quote from Lord of the Rings. “The strength of the ring bearer is failing…” (#sorrynotsorry)
. There is so much about the Nehemiah’s task that I can relate to at this moment. To catch you up on what has recently happened, I had a source that was gonna be able to pay for half of the overall cost for the race (roughly $8,000). It was a huge chip off my shoulder;however, it seems to be that that is no longer an option for me. Enter panic and anxiety. I have the first deadline coming up in May and I’m just about there, but shortly after that is the next one, which I am no where near.
“Do not be afraid of them. Remember The Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your wives.”
-Nehemiah 4:14
sidenote*I personally love it when the bible uses the word “awesome” to describe our Lord, for He is.
If you are unfamiliar with the book, Nehemiah is in charged of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. Everyone comes together to build, “Let us rise and build”. So they strengthened their hands for the good work”” (2:18) Along the way, the people meet opposition in the form of men named Sanballat and Tobiah; won’t there always be a “Sanballat and Tobiah” when we start to do the work that The Lord has given us?? Anyway, eventually it comes down to physical threats and the people have to hold their weapons in one hand and continue to work with the other, while looking out for their brother. Verses 15-23 in chapter 4 paints such a beautiful image of God’s people coming together to finish His work, it’s paints determination to follow through with what The Lord has laid out before Nehemiah. I know that in Nehemiah, opposition is an actual human, but mine is spiritual and with my flesh.
“But now, O God strengthen my hands”.
Nehemiah 6:9
The heading for chapter 9 is “The People of Israel Confess their Sin”, and it’s a heavy chapter to get through. It’s basically an outline of every time Israel has fallen short, of every time The Lord has provided for them, and it was all well with the people and then they go astray again.
“But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious ad merciful, slow to anger,and abounding in steadfast love,and did not forsake them”.
-Nehemiah 9:17
I realized that in these last couple of months my faith is that of an Israelite, strongest when God shows up, easily led astray.
I admit that I get annoyed with the Israelites, and partially because I see myself making the same mistakes that they did. But in the book of Nehemiah, the one verse that God really pressed on me is 4:6, “So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.” The only way the wall was going to be built and raised was if the people put in the time and energy to see it happen. When I first found out that half of this trip was being donated, I was stoked, but then I let up and I listened to the lies that Sanballat and Tobiah told me, and everything came to a halt.
“For the people had a mind to work”. This is where I am at, it’s crunch (painfully stretching) time.
Do you ever find yourself in a season similar to mine and then you come into His presence and find your joy again in Him?? This is also where I am at.
It’s time to get to work.
