for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.’</li><li><strong>Philippians 4:6-7

NEHEMIAH – GOD’S CALL TO BUILD THE WALL (8)

(October 29, 2022) Hope Flinchbaugh, reflecting on Nehemiah’s commission from God, shares challenges in respect of ‘A Leader’s Response to Opposition’ (Part 2).

Like all leaders, Nehemiah faced opposition – but he did not cower!

As he and his friends (men and women) are making mortar, finding usable stones, they were reproached by their enemies, non-Jewish local governors…

Nehemiah 2:19 tells us of their challenge –
‘But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Gesham the Arab heard of it, they laughed at us and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?”

Verse 20 tells of Nehemiah’s bold response –
‘So I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.”’

Expect opposition
When you begin to build where no one’s built before or you rebuild what was torn down by an enemy, you can expect some opposition. Somebody somewhere is going to say to your face or behind your back, ‘I am very displeased that you have come here to seek the welfare of these people.’

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MR BEAN – AND GOD’S MYSTERIOUS WAYS

Robert and Maureen McQuillan remind us that we don’t know everything … but that God does! 

Experienced those moments when we want to ask God, ‘Why?’ or ‘What’s going on?’ or ‘How come You answered my prayer as You did, not how I had prayed and expected?’ 

Did you get an answer to certain prayers? Or did you conclude that it’s better to appreciate and enjoy the benefits than to query God about His ways? 

We forget that God is God! 
The reality is that often we get so caught up with asking (in faith and trust which is good and necessary, of course!) and expecting God to bring about the answer exactly how we asked. And we forget that He is God who sees everything outside the box and knows what the best course of action should be! 

Yes… He is God – almighty God! God full stop! As such He doesn’t have to explain anything – we’re merely His creation. 

But, hallelujah … He’s also the heavenly Father who loves us so much that He does sometimes kindly  explain things – as in (Genesis 18:17NLT, ‘”Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the Lord asked’). 

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