Nehemiah: Standing firm in the Lord

The book of Nehemiah is perhaps one of my favorite books of the old testament. After Israel is taken away from their homeland and exiled for many years for their constant disobedience to the Lord, God allows them to begin returning and rebuilding years later when the time is right. Nehemiah was cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, and upon hearing of the challenges and struggles his fellow Israelites are facing in their homeland, he longs to return to Israel to help and support them. King Artaxerxes allows him to do so with his full support and supplies him with resources to help further and bolster the rebuilding, which is itself a miracle of God.

It is no surprise though that upon his return to Israel, as he is leading his people to stand up for the Lord and to be strong and courageous as they rebuild, they encounter all kinds of opposition and attempts to thwart their progress. Nehemiah, who left a position of royalty in Persia, leads by example, humbling himself in prayer and in serving others in his community. His faith in God is inspirational, as he knows God is greater than those in the world. As I read the below verse, I tried to put myself in Nehemiah's shoes and to feel what he was feeling, which was probably a lot of fear and anxiety from his opponents who day and night did not let up on their efforts to stop their progress on rebuilding Jerusalem. What Nehemiah said shows his faith in God, despite what he was feeling. He did not give in to his feelings, which can mislead and get us off track. He put his faith in God and shared that faith with his fellow Israelites to boost their confidence by again leading by example.

It cannot be stressed enough how important it is for us to be rooted in God's word, so when challenges arise and our feelings work against us, we stand firmly with God and declare that we are not afraid of the opposition and we know that He is greater. We are to lead by example and to fight for our families, the vulnerable, and the lost. This verse is as relevant today as it was in Nehemiah's time. Let us all take strength from Nehemiah's words and be bold in our faith as we live it out in this world.

-After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes,” Nehemiah 4:14 NIV.