I cannot come down!

  Nehemiah 6:1-3
           1        Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates,
           2       then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me.
           3       So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”

We often sing, "I want to be a worker for the Lord," but so many times we end up doing something other than God's work.  Continually walking as a Christian ought is a massive battle that we all fight every day, and obstacles to that walk are frequently placed by the devil.  Nehemiah's example in chapter 6 is an excellent reminder that we don't have to allow those obstacles to derail our progress.

First, notice that Nehemiah keeps the layout of the conflict clear:  These are people who are trying to stop him from doing what God wants!  We must remember that no matter what, anyone or anything that seeks to interrupt the work we do for God is not to be trusted.  "They were planning to harm me." No one who wants to stop you from serving God has honorable intentions.

Second, have you ever noticed that when we stay busy doing what we are supposed to do, it is difficult to get into trouble?  When his enemies attempted to interrupt his work, Nehemiah simply said, "I am doing a great work and cannot come down."  If we don't give the enemy the time of day, he can't really stop us from doing God's work.

Third, notice that Nehemiah pulls no punches when it comes to prioritizing God's work over heeding those who seek to interrupt it.  While we live in a society that demands we offend no one, Nehemiah has no qualms when telling someone that God's work is more important than they are.  "Why should the work stop while I leave it and come to you?" Never be afraid to tell someone that God's work is the most important thing in your life.

As we seek to be workers in God's kingdom, let us remain true to our task.  Do not trust those who want to pull you away from God's work.  Do not heed those who seek to distract you from God's work.  Do not fear openly prioritizing God over others.  Let us build the wall!
J