During the Lenten season, members of Faith Lutheran Church have written our daily devotions. Today’s writer is Paul Hodde.
15When our enemies heard that their plot was known to us, and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and body-armor; and the leaders posted themselves behind the whole house of Judah, 17who were building the wall. The burden bearers carried their loads in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and with the other held a weapon.18And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19And I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread out, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. 20Rally to us wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet. Our God will fight for us.” Nehemiah 4:15-20
In the text, Nehemiah and the Israelites are constructing a wall in order to defend themselves. Just as each one of them had a role in the wall building process, so do we have a role in our faith life. Each role may vary, but they are all necessary for the greater good. In order for the wall to be great, each person has to fulfill their role to the best of their ability with an understanding that every portion is vital, and able to hear the trumpet.
By knowing that we our connected through Christ, our goal of building the wall becomes easier. It is always important to keep the common goal in mind so that when the trumpet sounds, the Lord with be present with you.
Let us pray: Dear God, please let us to keep on the path that you wish for us to follow. Allow us to fulfill our roles in order to contribute for the greater good and unsure that we will hear the call that you send out whenever that time may be. We ask all these things in your name, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Daily Devotions 
April 2, 2014 at 6:52 pm |
These verses are about keeping the common goal in mind, and working together, each fulfilling a role.
And in the new testament Jesus says in 1 Peter 2:9-10:
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”