Verse 1-6: Many a good work has been looked upon with contempt by proud and haughty scorners. Those who disagree in almost every thing, will unite in persecution. Nehemiah did not answer these fools according to their folly, but looked up to God by prayer. God's people have often been a despised people, but God hears all the slights that are put upon them. Nehemiah had reason to think that the hearts of those sinners were desperately hardened, or he would not have prayed that their sins might never be blotted out. Good work goes on well, when people have a mind to it. The reproaches of enemies should quicken us to our duty, not drive us from it.
Commentary by Matthew Henry
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In answering the title question in this post, several things grab my attention. (1) I don't know that I would EVER be bold enough to pray the way Nehemiah did in these verses. He was mad and he wanted God to be on his side about it. It was BOLD! (2) I love the verse that says "the people had a heart for the work". I can feel their passion when I read this. My problem is that I start out with a heart for "it"...whatever "it" is, and then I lose the passion. How did they keep their passion?
ReplyDeleteLet me try this again. I tried to post a comment and my silly computer hiccupped, knocked me off the internet and lost the comment I'd already made. I think I wondered if the reason they kep the passion was either because Nehemiah was able to help them see the "big picture" of a completed wall that would help them be more secure or was it because they didn't want any of their famiy and friends to think they were slackers.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could keep the passion about a lot of "its" in my life - work, weight loss, etc, etc. Maybe that should be my prayer.
Betty - I totally agree for me too. I know God told me to do this study, so I'm assuming it ties to weight loss for me - since that's my focus right now. I am beginning a log to write down things that I hear from God, so that I, hopefully, can keep the passion more and not let it "slip" through the cracks.
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