Staying Focused on the Task-Nehemiah 6&7

Once again Nehemiah faced opposition to his task of rebuilding the wall.  Sanballet and Tobias sent letters to Nehemiah trying to get him to come meet them and accused him of things that he had not done.  To each of these letters, Nehemiah replied that he was doing a great work and that he could not come down.  His next distraction/opposition came from a fellow Israelite who tried to get him to take sanctuary in the temple and from prophets who tried to intimidate him.  But Nehemiah kept on building and the wall was completed in fifty two days total.  All the nations around them realized that the building of the wall could have only been done with the help of God.  What a great testimony!  With the wall built, Nehemiah appointed leaders to govern the people and took a census of the people.

All around us, we have distractions to the task God has for us.  Some of these distractions are not bad but keep us from the task God has for us.  Some months I struggle with the busyness of life and knowing where to say no.  Other months it has been changes in our school or program.  This past month allergies  and a spirit of depression have been a distraction to the task God has for me of being a godly mom, wife and teacher.   I find myself just wanting to be at home and reading a good book or wasting time on my computer. My daily prayer has been for God to give me strength to do what I need to do, to take away the cough and sinus stuff, and to lift the spirit of heaviness.  God has given me rest when I have needed it and energy and enthusiasm to do the job he has for me.   This week he gave me two times of worship with others that were just what I needed.  My goal is to finish the school year strong building into the lives of the students God has given me for this season.   So each day I have to choose to depend on God and his strength or just do the status quo.  Today I choose God.

What is distracting you from the task that God has for you?  I would love to pray for you that you would be able to say “I am doing a great work and I can not come down.”  I would ask that you would do the same for me.

Dear God, All great work can only be done with the help of your hand and in your strength.  Be with us and help us to stay focused on the task.  May you be glorified as we say no to those things are a distraction to what you have for us.  May we say yes to those things you need us to say yes to.  In Jesus name, Amen