Day 34 – July 4, 2025
55-day Devotional Journey – Day 34

Scripture
But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall." Also our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work." Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us." Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.
Nehemiah 4:7-15 (NIV)

Reflection:
In Nehemiah 4, enemies rose up to stop the rebuilding of Jerusalem's wall. The threats were real, hostile people gathered from all sides, and fear began to spread among the workers. But Nehemiah didn't let fear take over. He led the people in a powerful, twofold response: they prayed and they acted. "We prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night." Trust in God didn't mean doing nothing, it meant calling on Him first, and then moving forward with wisdom and courage. Nehemiah reminded the people, "Don't be afraid. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome." Their strength came not from strategy alone, but from remembering who God is.

I experienced something similar during the first few months of my first pastoral role. After I arrived, I discovered the Church was facing a financial shortfall. It wasn't anyone's fault, the Church had just completed a major building project, and many people had already given sacrificially. We prayed and trusted that God would provide. But over the next three months, the deficit actually grew, three times larger than before. Naturally, people felt anxious. There were quiet conversations and visible concern.

But like in Nehemiah's time, we didn't just worry, we turned to God in prayer. And we also acted. I shared openly with the congregation about the financial situation. We gathered regularly to pray, not just for money, but for wisdom, unity, and renewed faith. Slowly, something changed. I don't know all the details of who gave what, but I do know this: people responded with extraordinary generosity. I could sense the deep sacrifice. People gave not because they had much, but because they loved the Lord and His Church. By the end of the year, not only had we overcome the shortfall, we ended with a surplus. It was clearly God's doing.

Nehemiah shows us that prayer is not the opposite of action. True prayer gives us courage to act. And faithful action, rooted in prayer, invites God's power into our situation.

Reflection Question:
Is there a challenge you're facing that feels too heavy? How might God be calling you to respond, not with fear, but with prayer and steady action?

Prayer:
Lord, when threats come, whether from outside or within, help me not to be ruled by fear. Teach me to come to You first in prayer, and then to move forward in obedience and trust. Remind me that You are great and awesome, and that You are fighting for us. Amen.

By Pastor James Su