Nehemiah 2

Nehemiah wrote, “With fear and prayer I asked the king of Persia if I could be released from protecting his life in order to travel 850 miles to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls around it.  To my dismay he not only let me go, but he gave me cavalry for protection and letters to governors along the way so they would give me supplies for the walls and my new home in Jerusalem.  When I got there, I rode a horse around the city at night when everyone was asleep. Then I gathered the nobles and priests and revealed to them my plan, told them about the blessings from the king and asked them to help.  They were encouraged and eager to do so.  The residents around Jerusalem were angry and jealous and they began to harass us. – Nehemiah 2 – Paraphrased.

Dear Heavenly Father,

You blessed Nehemiah with support and clarity of purpose once he set his heart on doing what you wanted.  You also blessed him with challenges, hardships and obstacles.  They were a blessing too because they made him rely on you instead of himself.  He stayed in constant contact with you in prayer as he worked through every issue.  Your work with Nehemiah gives me hope that you will give me all the provisions I will need to accomplish the work you have given me to do.  When challenges and obstacles confront me, help me to see them as an opportunity to rely on you and not myself.  Give me a faith-filled optimism that charges forward doing your will even when there are people who criticize and try to stop me.  Make me loving but resilient with everyone.  Give me the strength of your Holy Spirit to rise above the battle field with character and courage. 

Amen

Pastor Don Patterson

Courage is trusting that God is yoked with you, pulling the same plow, through the same stubborn field.