We Did Not Give Up - September 2009

I am Nehemiah. I am a Hebrew, but have lived in service to King Artaxerxes of Persia since my native land was overrun and laid waste. As the Persian king’s cupbearer, I have long been a trusted member of his court. One day I entered his presence with a saddened heart. Noticing my unhappiness, he asked why I was downcast. “O king,” I answered him, and poured out my distress over the ruins of my native country. “‘What would you request?’” the king asked (Nehemiah 2:4). After praying quickly to my God I answered the king. “‘If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it’” (Neh. 2:5). Before long I found myself traveling to Jerusalem by the king’s order. He sent with me his cavalry, and letters of permission to governors of areas I would be traveling through. The Jews were easily stirred to rebuild their fallen capital city. The gates were rebuilt quickly, with everyone doing their part. We had begun the work – the walls would soon be complete, I was sure of it.
But I should have known that such easy work would not last. Soon Sanballat and Tobiah, high and powerful officials, began to threaten and endanger the work. I can still hear their taunts in my mind: “‘What are those feeble Jews doing? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?’” Sanballat scoffed. Tobiah also insulted us: “‘What they are building—if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!’” (Neh. 4:2-3) I responded by trusting in God. “Hear, O our Yahweh, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads” (Neh. 4:4). The people continued to work with all their hearts, even though Sanballat, Tobiah, and our neighbors plotted against us and the work we had undertaken. We prayed to Yahweh and guarded ourselves. The laborers were growing weary, and our enemies continued to plan evil things against us. Not only was the work difficult and strenuous, but our enemies insisted on piling difficulty after difficulty on us. We learned of danger plotted by Sanballat and Tobiah. When they discovered that their plans had been discovered by us and frustrated by Yahweh, they left us alone, but they were still angry. Half of us stood guard while the other half worked with their weapons at their side. Daily we faced hardship. We grew tired. However, by the grace of God, we continued to work in the face of adversity. Despite the difficulty and danger, we continued to persevere.
Far above and beyond my expectations, Yahweh saw fit to allow us to complete the work in only fifty-two days! Our enemies were astounded, afraid, and lost their confidence because they knew that Yahweh did this. “Remember me, O my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people” (Neh. 5:19). Remember our work in spite of our trials. Remember, O LORD, how we did not give up.