June 12th - Nehemiah 4:16

Nehemiah 4:16 From then on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. There is no question that Nehemiah trusted God. He was absolutely convinced that God was on his side and that he was going to succeed in reconstructing the walls of Jerusalem. He also knew that he had to work incredibly hard, and to ensure that the city and its people were adequately defended. The opposition became so intense that he had to halve his work force in order to release men to stand on guard. It must have been very frustrating not having everyone working on the wall, but he knew that it was vital for his workers to have adequate protection. Every now and again, I hear people say that because they trust God they don’t need to have insurance or make plans for the future. This sounds very spiritual and impressive on first hearing, but I don’t believe that that is how God intends us to live our lives. It certainly wasn’t the way Nehemiah lived. He could have said that his God was so great and mighty that they could leave it to him to defend them, but he didn’t. He put in place an impressive plan to defend the city. It’s the same when you look at the life of the apostle Paul. There is no doubting his complete confidence in God, but he worked night and day, not only at his ministry but also at his tent making. His hard work was an expression of his love for God and his desire to give only his best. Today, God invites you and I to trust him completely and, at the same time, to work hard and to put good plans in place. In this way we truly live in covenant partnership with God. Question What is God calling you to do as you live in partnership with him? Prayer Lord God, I trust you with the whole of my life. Help me always to be willing to work hard for you. Amen