Nougat 2

Wanna learn about a very short, but effective prayer? Check out today’s Holy Nougat

“They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”” ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭6:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Such a brief yet powerful prayer. Just four words. Yet they were a problem to the enemy. Those words signified trust and commitment even in the face of such pronounced and systemic oppressive opposition;

Trust

Nehemiah stuck to his God. He had every prophe-lie around him; every doomsday expert; every reason to concede defeat. But Nehemiah’s ears were tuned to a different frequency. He knew that if God assigned him a task; then all he needed to focus on was the God, not all those other people.

I suspect Nehemiah had heard of Job’s story; whose wife lost hope when they lost everything. She couldn’t fathom God being in the midst of their suffering. It was totally inconceivable! For she knew a God who, ’supplies every need’. Like many of us, she bought into the cliché. Of a truth, God supplies our needs, but a need is not a want or an expectation. And it is too easy to miss the difference.

By praying ’now strengthen my hands’, Nehemiah was effectively saying; lest they are correct about my human capacity; I put my trust in you. He was leaving the outcome of his purpose in God’s hands. That’s Great fFaith right there.

How many of us would have been as trusting?

Commitment

The prayer also symbolized Nehemiah’s commitment to his God-given purpose. He had a burden to rebuild the city wall. It wasn’t child’s play; he was constantly being sabotaged and terrorized by his ‘own’. Sanballat and Tobias were relentless in their harassment. Like ticks on a dog, they were out for blood. And they were creative, using various tactics to annoy and thwart the plans.

Jesus said ‘No one puts their shoulder to the wheel and turns back’ (Luke 9:62). That was guaranteed suicide or maiming; for the wheel would either roll back on you with whatever it was turning, or drag us forward. The smarter, simpler choice is to press on. Hence Nehemiah’s prayer for strength to complete the task.

Don’t for one moment assume that this was ‘Nehemiah’s cross’ alone. Our day WILL come, if it hasn’t already. Some of us even qualify for the advanced class! Oh yes. Romans 5:3-5 guarantees that. And unfortunately, there’s no expiry date on tribulations. So since trials and opposition are included in our journey; we too must take Nehemiah’s lead – ask God for the strength, ie the endurance, to complete our purpose. That’s Commitment aka ‘stick-to-I tivity’ or dedication.

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It is so easy to miss the point of Nehemiah’s prayer with its four words. Yet it may be all we need for our journey now, or some time in the future. May God indeed strengthen the work of our hands for the tasks assigned to us.

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May all we seek be found in Christ