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Working On A Great Work!
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April 24, 2007



Now it came to pass when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.
(Nehemiah 6: 1- 3)

There's a children's song that goes like this:

Nehemiah, he rebuilt the walls of old Jerusalem
He made them strong so they would stand
Without a breach there in.
Sanballat tried with all his might
To turn him aside
But He said, I've so much work to do
I can't come down today.

Well, I'm working on a great work and I can't come down
I'm building for eternity and Heavens' shining crown.
I'm building for my Father, got no time for fooling round
I'm working on a great work and I can't come down!

We have to admire Nehemiah and the gigantic task that he undertook. Jerusalem was in ruins yet he took a group of men and started re-building. God had given him a burden and he went out to do the work. People complained. People looked at the size of the task. Others found more important things to do. Some found fault with him, some ridiculed him. But Nehemiah was focused on the work before him.

Notice he said, "I can't come down." He was up on those wall, building and the work restrained him. He said "I'm not able to come down." In school we were taught the difference between "can" and "may." "May" meant that we were allowed or permitted to do something. "Can" meant that we were physically capable of doing something. I've always thrilled at the idea that Nehemiah was so involved and committed to the work he had to do that he physically couldn't lay it aside and go down. God may have permitted him to do it but the impetus of the work restrained him. It kept him on task, he HAD to do the work.

What was this that restrained him from doing what might have been permitted? It was the Great Work of God that he was doing! Back then it was just rebuilding a physical wall. But Nehemiah was so devoted, so determined, that he physically couldn't make himself get down off that wall and do something else.

Oh, may our devotion to building the Kingdom of God be so compelling and may we be so devoted to that work that we HAVE to be involved in the Father's business. May nothing be so important as to lure us away. May Satan be held at bay by the Power of the Great Work God has entrusted us to do!

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Permission is granted to use these inspirational messages in any way for the glory of God, with no need to attribute anything to me.




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