The king’s cupbearer was building a wall. Fortifying
the defense of Jerusalem was the focus of Nehemiah, as his heart was moved by
the rubble found around the city. Could he have left the job for someone else?
Sure, he had a choice. Could he have looked at the job before him and said a
rebuild was just too strenuous to be completed? He could have. However, inside
of him burned a calling, a mission so great that he could not turn away from
the work for any reason.
Opponents attempted to sabotage the work, trying their
best to thwart the efforts of the people, hoping to undermine the leadership of
Nehemiah. Their minds were set to stopping the rebuild, so they did their best
to distract and destroy. Messengers were sent, hoping to stall the process when
the opposition realized that Nehemiah and the people were making progress. To
stall, they requested meetings. Nehemiah kept working. With persistence, they
sent messengers repeatedly, especially after Nehemiah dismissed them by saying,
“I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while
I leave it and go down to you?” (Nehemiah 6:3 HCSB) In looking at the story of
Nehemiah, there are three things to remember about the work we are called to
do.
1 – See your work as important – Nehemiah didn’t see
what he was called to do as a small job. The work had a purpose; therefore, the
work was important. When we belittle what we are doing as “nothing big”, we are
already minimizing the importance of the work in our minds and to those around
us. Nehemiah told Sanballat and Gesham, “This is a great work!”. Any work you
are called to do for the Lord is a great work, even if others may not see it as
such. What God has called you to is kingdom work and every role in the kingdom
is equally important. See what you are doing as important and approach it as
such.
2 – See the completion of the work as necessary – How many
activities and works of our lives are left incomplete? I have dozens of things
that need to be carried out to completion. Some were started without a complete
determination to see it through to the end. Nehemiah didn’t start to build half
the wall, abandon it, and feel like something was accomplished. He started the
work with a dedication to finish the work. The very thought process that the
work can be abandoned is a sabotaging of the work on our own part. Begin it to
finish it.
3 – See distractions for what they are – Nehemiah had
to face mockery, attempts to discourage, attempts to distract, and even false
accusations as he sought to complete the wall. Any time you are called to do
the work of the Lord, you will face similar oppositions. Satan will try to stop
you by saying you can’t do the work. He will use critics to try to discourage
you from continuing the work. Satan will try to tear you down your resolve and
try to shift your eyes onto other things. Nehemiah recognized the tactic and
refused to be lured away. Nothing was more important than the task he had been
called to do. See distractions as the efforts of Satan and respond like Nehemiah
by saying, “Who are you to stop the Lord’s work from being finished?”
The work of the Lord is to be done, completed with a
heart of determination and dedication. Never is it easy to finish what God has
called you to because Satan never sits back and allows the work to go
unimpeded. You are doing it for the Lord. Some will mock. Some will disparage.
Some will distract. But you, the called of God, are to remain focused and
finish that wall you were called to build.
