Read Nehemiah 4:1-6
Construction of the Jerusalem wall continues. We hear more about the bully, Sanballat, in this passage. Sanballat is spouting off his taunts to discredit the work of the Jews. I couldn’t help but think of when Jesus was taunted during the final hours before his crucifixion. People can be so mean.
We can only suppose what Sanballat’s problem is with the rebuilding process. Could it be he feels threatened and wants to show his superiority? Sanballat tries to get others to agree and join in on his mockery.
Such distracting behavior was not good for the morale of the Jews, and Nehemiah knew it. What was Nehemiah’s go-to solution? Prayer. Did Nehemiah think God didn’t see all this treachery happening to his people? Rather than ask God to make them stop, Nehemiah asked for God to be the one to punish them.
Think of the restraint it would have taken to not fight back and defend themselves against the bullying. When we find ourselves in situations where we are being tormented, isn’t the automatic response to retaliate in some way? I can remember wise counsel from a trusted friend telling me to “let God fight my battles.” There’s even Scripture to support that wisdom. Deuteronomy 3:22 says, “Do not be afraid of the nations there, for the LORD your God will fight for you.” Proverbs 20:22 says, “Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” wait for the Lord to handle the matter.”
It may be hard to walk away from taunts and insults, especially when they demean us or attack our faith. But the Bible is clear that we should remain silent and let God get even for us. God isn’t blind to what happens to us. He sees the good and the bad. Like any good and protective parent, God wants to defend us and cleanse us from evil. When is the last time you prayerfully asked for his help?
Having a heart full of revenge is certainly not something God gives us. Remember that next time you get angry at someone for the way they have hurt you or someone you love. Try to remember Jesus’ silence on the cross as people were taunting him. In fact, he asked God right there and then to forgive those people. We don’t see Nehemiah doing that, but Nehemiah did ask God to take care of the retribution.
When we’re on a mission for God, the possibility for taunts and roadblocks is much greater. The evil one doesn’t want God’s people to prosper by drawing closer to God and completing his mission. God never promised our lives would be problem-free. But we are promised to have God’s power with us to prevail and stay strong.
With so much turmoil in our world today, it would be easy to become defensive and say inappropriate things that don’t honor God. There is a better way. God will fight our battles for us. When our God given mission is in peril, God will step in. That, we can count on. Nehemiah was counting on that.
Let’s pray … Lord, thank you for a good reminder of how we can handle the bullies in our lives. I am so thankful for your powerful hand at work to protect me. Help me to stay focused on you and cry out to you when I am afraid or feeling weak. I know how the evil one can manipulate me and my situation to make me doubt. But I also know how strong you are, ready to defend me. Thank you for having my back and fighting my battles for me. May I be better at letting go of my own strength so that yours can work instead. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
