Day 39 – July 9, 2025
55-day Devotional Journey – Day 39

Scripture:
Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night." But I said, "Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in. "And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me. Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.
Nehemiah 6:10–14 (ESV)

Reflection:
The enemy changed their tactics and bribed the false prophet Shemaiah to trick Nehemiah into thinking someone was coming to kill him. They persuaded Nehemiah to go into the temple and close the door to save his life. Nehemiah made a timely statement and said that he would not go in for two reasons: First, he knew God's call to him. God would not ask him to escape when the reconstruction of the city wall was about to be completed and there was no need for him to escape. Second, he was not a priest. If he was innocently hunted, he could escape to the altar outside the temple to seek God's protection and wait for a fair trial, but he could not enter the temple without permission. This so-called prophet actually said that they should enter the temple and lock the door, which shows that he was a false prophet bribed by the enemy. He wanted to make him afraid and fall into the trap to commit a crime, so that the enemy would have a reason to slander him, and the reconstruction of the city wall would be stopped. Therefore, we must carefully examine those who claim to have received God's revelation to see if they can stand firm on God's words. We see that Nehemiah prayed again and again, asking God to remember the deeds of the enemy and the false prophets. Prayer is the channel to establish a close relationship with God, which enables us to be sensitive to God's will.

Reflection Question:
When fulfilling my mission, how do I reflect and discern what is God's will? What is not? How is my spiritual life? What kind of revelation does Nehemiah's prayer life bring me?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for giving me the privilege of being called your child and for giving me the precious opportunity to serve you. Please let me remember this noble identity, so that I will not easily leave my post of service because of danger and difficulty. Please also help me to pursue a life of constant prayer like Nehemiah, to have a closer relationship with you, to be sensitive to your will, and to fulfill the mission you have entrusted to me.

By Pastor Lionel Lam