Doubters scoff at the workers

Nehemiah Chapter 4

Sanballat was angry that the walls were being rebuilt. He mocked the Jews and called their efforts poor and feeble and pointed out that they used charred stones from the rubble. Tobiah the Ammonite agreed and insisted that the stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along it.

But Nehemiah prayed that God would hear the mocking and scoffing and order that these doubters themselves would become captives in a foreign land. He asked God not to ignore their guilt or blot out their sins.

At last the wall was completed to half its original height around the city, but when Samballat, Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites and Ashdodites heard the work was going forward, they became furious. They make a plan to come fight against Jerusalem and cause confusion there. But Nehemiah and the Israelites prayed to God to guard them day and night.

Then the people began to complain that the workers were becoming tired. They were aware what their enemies were saying about attacking them. Nehemiah heard from the Jews who lived near the enemy of an impending attack and he placed armed guards by the families. And later only half of his men worked on the walls while the other half stood guard and the workers were armed. Nehemiah devised a plan that if a trumpet blast was heard, the people were to rush to wherever it sounded. And the people worked from sunrise to sunset until Nehemiah asked everyone living outside the wall to move into Jerusalem and neither he nor his relatives, guards, or servants ever took off their clothes but remained armed and prepared for attack.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Nehemiah did not pray for revenge, he prayed for God's justice. He combined prayer with preparation and planning. He reminded the people to stay focused on their goal and that they had God's protection. And when the workers were too spread out along the wall, he devised a means of communication by sounding a trumpet alarm.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? Nehemiah treated scorn and ridicule by praying to God. In these times, you too can turn to God when you are mocked for your faith or doing what you know is right. Refuse to respond to mockery or let it discourage you. Pray to God and tell him how you feel and he will give you the strength to carry on.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH:
Update on my niece Suzanne, she is healing but her leg was crushed and will take many months of doctoring. She is in a nursing home for rehab care. Pray for her healing. Also Gabe, Wanda, Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother whose cancer has returned and her father with Alzheimer’s and now her mother in law also with Alzheimer’s. Their family is feeling the strain both emotionally and financially. Pray for them. Update on this family: Her mother in law Mary just had a stroke this week. They are being tested by God and need a wealth of prayers. Pray for them now! Pray that they can find a place for Mary that won’t bankrupt the family.
And pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life. Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer.
Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.
Pray for Cyndi Sullivan who was given 14 months to live with cancer, but has made it six years. The pain has returned and she needs our prayers.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. Thanks to your prayers, she is able to hobble without a cane and has been granted disability. She still has surgery scheduled on her hand, but I saw her recently and her attitude is fantastic.
Update on Marthaline Sargent. She lost her battle with health problems and passed away last Tuesday. Our condolences to her son Patrick and daughter Stacey. Continue to pray for her husband Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.
Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.
Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who will soon undergo chemo for his prostate cancer.
Pray for John’s recovery from a heart attack and pray he can stop smoking.
Pray for Debbie who lost her home in a fire last week.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.