Be focused while you work for God
Rev. Tetteh-Annor Larbi | October 30, 2023 | Nehemiah 2:19-20
KEY VERSE:
So I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build… Nehemiah 2:20a
MESSAGE:
The enemies of the kingdom agenda will not stop because you have found the good work and are doing it. They will rather recruit more enemies who are like-minded to try and stop the good work we are doing for the kingdom of God.
In the earlier verses, we saw Samballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite who were deeply disturbed when they heard that a man had come to help the Jews and to seek their wellbeing. In our reading today, we see these two having recruited a third person, Geshem the Arab, and the three of them laughed at the workers and despised them.
However, the people were resilient and focused on the vision they had believed in and the work they had begun to do. Their conviction that the assignment was from God through his servant Nehemiah could be the reason for the resolute stance and focus. It is worth noting that, the people depended on the God of heaven to provide for the work and believed that God would prosper them. This motivated them to be focused and continue working for God.
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Keep your focus on the God of heaven whose work you have decided to join to build and trust him to provide the resources you will need to complete the work. Believe also in God, to reward every effort you put into this work of building and expanding the kingdom. Let your focus and stance be resolute and unwavering, clinging to His assuring word that your labour for the Lord will never be in vain.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, I am available for your work. Help me to be focused on my assignments and tasks. And help me not to be distracted by those enemies to the work you have given me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
DAILY word study: BUILD "נָבַן" (navan): This Hebrew word is translated as "build" and carries the meaning of constructing, rebuilding, or establishing.
Throughout the Bible, the concept of the building is often not only physical but also metaphorical, representing the establishment, restoration, or development of various aspects of life, including spiritual growth and the community of faith.
In the context of our key verse for today's devotional, the word Build is used to convey the idea of:
Divine Partnership: Nehemiah's acknowledgement of God's role in the prosperity of their efforts sets a profound example of relying on divine partnership in any undertaking.
Proactive Faith: The phrase "arise and build" conveys a spirit of proactive faith, emphasizing the need for action in conjunction with trust in God's guidance.
Spiritual and Physical Building: The rebuilding of Jerusalem involves both physical construction and the restoration of the spiritual and communal life of God's people.
Reflections:
How can we emulate Nehemiah's combination of faith in God's providence and proactive engagement in our personal and collective endeavours, recognizing that building involves both the physical and spiritual aspects of life?
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