PRAY, WORK, AND WATCH

Pray, Work, and Watch

Susan Ferguson

They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed." But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands." (Nehemiah 6:9 NIV)

If you need a lesson on leadership, look no further than the life of Nehemiah, a Jewish layman. He shows us how to handle resistance when serving God or facing difficult tasks. Nehemiah led by example and demonstrated remarkable leadership in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. 

In 586 BC, the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and broke down the city walls. 

Nehemiah’s story began in 445 BC when he learned that the walls and gates were still in ruins. 

Nehemiah was a man of prayer who took action. 

He rallied the Jews to rebuild the walls needed to protect them from their enemies. They worked with all their hearts from sunrise to sunset. 

But Nehemiah’s enemies, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem were not happy about the project, and they mocked and ridiculed the workers. 

Nehemiah and his men ignored their insults and kept on working. Determined to stop the work, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem were not going to give up without a fight. They plotted against Nehemiah and threatened to fight against Jerusalem. 

Nehemiah organized a round-the-clock defense and assigned half the people to build and the other half to stand guard. In spite of tremendous opposition, the walls were rebuilt in 52 days.

Are your efforts to serve God met with resistance? 

Are you trying to accomplish a difficult task and being bombarded with ridicule? 

If people say you cannot succeed, think of Nehemiah’s refusal to be intimidated by his enemies. Nehemiah’s leadership qualities of prayer and perseverance serve as an example for us to follow. 

Susan is a freelance Christian writer who resides in Madison, MS. Contact