enemy – Be Still…

Nehemiah 6:1-14 – Intimidation

Read Nehemiah 6:1-14

What intimidates you? Maybe it’s speaking in front of groups, handling an overbearing boss, or volunteering to work with children at church. Those types of intimidation are more self-imposed by some fear or anxiety. Whereas Nehemiah is being intimidated by people who feel threatened by him and God’s people. As their governor, Nehemiah is a prime target to face all sorts of challenges.

We’ve seen how Nehemiah is a godly man devoted to God. He has listened to God’s call on his life, which includes his mission to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem. Nehemiah is also intent on leading God’s people to follow the laws of Moses.

Ezra 4:1-5 – Stay on Track

Read Ezra 4:1-5

Can our enemies also worship our God? That’s a good question. Maybe we should explore what makes someone our enemy? For me, it would be anyone who doesn’t believe as I do who is trying to harm me or distract me from my mission. With that understanding, I don’t think my enemies would be Christians who love Jesus.

The enemies discussed in our reading were giving good “lip service” to those working on the temple. Their attempts to trick the workers in believing they could also be worshiping the LORD failed. The help they offered as a lure was also rejected.

2 Samuel 21:15-22 – Battling Our Giants

Read 2 Samuel 21:15-22

These battles with the Philistines are likely to have happened at various times during David’s reign. Where they fall in the scheme of things doesn’t seem to be important. What then does killing giants have to do with the story?

This collection of stories is known by scholars to be a “list” of importance. Each account identifies itself as “another battle.” The common theme is the destruction of a descendent of the giants. It’s like they did a big sort of the stories and gathered these four into one group.

Proverbs 18:14-24 – Know Your Enemies

Read Proverbs 18:14-24

You’ve probably heard the saying, “keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” a line from the movie, Godfather II. It can be wise advice because you never know when your “friend” might actually be your enemy. Verse 24 would seem to hint at this as it says, “There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.” Have you ever been betrayed by a “friend?”

We hear almost daily of bullying accounts of one kind or another. Just the other day a dear friend of mine who has some “special needs” told me how someone she’s known for a while has started to call her “stupid.” How hurtful. What sort of motivation would lead a “friend” to call another friend stupid? We are meant to build each other up, not tear each other down. These were grown-ups!

Matthew 5:43-48 – Love Your Enemies

Read Matthew 5:43-48

It’s easy to love our friends, most of the time. Even friends can get on our last nerve at times. Now imagine being nice to an enemy or someone who has done you wrong? That’s a little harder to picture, much less do. But in a spirit of loving everyone as God does, Jesus is encouraging us to do the same.

As the Old Testament taught us to “love our neighbor,” Jesus came to specify a little who our neighbor was. (More on this in Luke 10, read it HERE.) It had been thought that it was our friends. Folks on the fringes of society or ones who were mean to us would not be our neighbor, so therefore we didn’t need to love them. Jesus wanted to clear that up. God doesn’t show favorites. His blessings are available to everyone.