“…what my God had put in my heart to do…” (Nehemiah 2:11)

and Nehemiah 4:1-6

Have you ever embarked on a new challenging endeavor? (Writing these devotionals counts as that for me!) Nehemiah and Co., all those years ago, embarked on a new challenging endeavor. Let’s look for the similarities in our experiences.

Starting out by sensing God’s direction, and having an inner conviction about it, makes all the difference. This will be the touchstone to which we return when things get rocky. In chapter 2:11, Nehemiah referred to “…what my God had put in my heart to do…” He had his touchstone.

In Nehemiah 4 things got rocky when Sanballat and his sidekick Tobiah showed up furious and spewing ridicule on those working on the wall rebuild.  

When we’re not in the thick of the scoffing and sarcasm we can see that it is basically malarkey, but in the thick of it we can be taken off-guard and find ourselves falling for the lies.

This is where the danger—and opportunity—presents itself. Am I going to believe the lies and let them determine my next step, or am I going to believe the touchstone message God laid on my heart to start with?  

In fairness, some of what they say could be true. In Nehemiah and Co.’s case it was a daunting task and they were, after all, a bunch of volunteers. 

We, too, are going to hear messages that contain just enough truth to snag us. Which is another reason that touchstone of ours is super important.

The thing is, it is when the words hit their target—our beliefs—that they are destructive. And when a group falls for them, that’s even more detrimental.

Nehemiah and Co. respond to these verbal attacks by immediately turning to God with this prayer:

Hear us, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders (Nehemiah 4:4-5).

With that, they returned to their wall rebuild. The reason they could do this?  “…for the people worked with all their heart.” A common heart convinced that this endeavor was God’s plan.

Does part of that prayer make you squirm?

Would it help to consider that they are giving their real inclinations over to God and letting Him deal with them? Is this something that would help you return to your touchstone?