Reading
SAA Notes
At different times Israel has different enemies. Here they are Arabs, Moabites, Ammonites, and men of Ashdod. So too will be our experience with those who oppose the Gospel. Nehemiah’s strategy was to neither fight nor talk, but to continue building!
SJA Notes
* Dear Lord, the fear of You is hatred of evil, let us hate pride and arrogance and the way of evil.
“From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail.”
The building of God’s church is done in God’s time and by His power.
You can imagine it must have been a frustrating limitation in the process of building the wall to have half of the people standing guard – half!
Imagine a construction site today where half the work-force were unable to do the actual work. A foreman’s nightmare.
God does not work as we work.
God does not see as we see.
God’s power is not limited by our limitations!
Often we can get caught up in the metrics of the world, in the success measurements that are used around us.
God does not determine success the way we do.
This is important to remember as we labour amongst God’s people, in whatever ways God allows for us.
* God Above,
Thank You for always building Your church.
Thank You that You continue to build us a place, that better country, the new heavens and new earth.
For the now, and the not yet, thank You!
Please help us to remember that You are not limited by time or by power, by intent or by outside forces.
Amen.