Our Father God, did not put us on planet earth to stagnate, in fact I do not encourage us to be stagnant, motionless, to cease to flow, to become stale, to become inactive anywhere. We were created to move, to flow to the glory of God even in troubled times. In Nehemiah’s time troubles came to him at work when he heard about the temple walls and his brethren he flowed, he moved to show himself a caring leader, through his gift of concern for people.

This tells me that the weight of what he had heard was so heavy on him that he sat down, wept and mourned, a sign of feeling pain and distress. In it all he found time in his sorrow to talk to God.  Sadness is not a good motivator and a reason why God is always on standby, our nearest and most ever present help.  Finding strength to go to Him can only be through His Spirit. Nehemiah, called on God in his time of trouble and distress for God can do anything. The Christian believer must find their praise and place in trouble. If we stagnate the enemy will try to keep us down. So we must move as the Holy Spirit moves us.

Nehemiah fasted and prayed to the God he knew could help (Neh 1:4-11). One of the attributes observed in Nehemiah was the spirit of care for the people. Upon hearing about the situation in Jerusalem from his brethren, he is deeply moved to the point of action. And his first action was to fast and pray, and seek the heart of God. On many occasions we hear bad news and it causes us deep sadness to the point where prayer may be the last thing on our minds. Nehemiah’s response to what he heard is the mark, the character of a good servant who trusted in God in spite of what he had heard. He did not waver in his reliance on God, he did not rely on his own abilities, he turned to God.

Father in heaven give us the spirit and determination to continue the work in the face of persecution, being ridiculed,  ostracised, arrested and incarcerated.  Give us strength, grace, and fortitude to resist the enemy and stand, in Jesus’ name. Father, we look to You for help to work like Jesus worked, to work the works of Him who sent us that we might glorify Your holy name. Amen and Hallelujah and Glory to God. Amen.