Whoever gives out awards for profound observations should give one to the person who said, “Wherever you go, there you are.” Application: Don’t be a runaway because our problems have a way of following us. In an attempt to escape unpleasant circumstances some conclude that the answer is a change of location, maybe a different job, or some new relationships. So they leave the old for the new only to find out….you guessed it! “Wherever you go, there you are.” Same song, second verse!
Nehemiah was a man with more troubles than he could shake a stick at. Commissioned with the monumental project of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah had complacency to deal with among his Jewish brothers, and outright opposition from the enemies of Israel. So great was the hostility of these adversaries that Nehemiah’s life was in jeopardy. That’s when someone suggested that Nehemiah make a run for it. Escape. Walk away from the problems. Life will be better somewhere else.
Nehemiah’s answer recorded in Nehemiah 6:11 was classic, “Should a man like me run away?” What a great response! As a man of God I believe Nehemiah was offended at the very suggestion that he would cut and run. He knew the story of Jonah which serves as a timeless reminder that running away never solves anything. In Jonah’s case, it only made things worse.
So Nehemiah stayed the course. He faced up to his problems with faith and the determination to see it through. And just four verses later Nehemiah was able to give this victorious report, “The wall was finished.” (v15). And in v16 he added, “When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence. They realized we had done this work with the help of our God.”
That life happens to everybody is obvious. That Satan doubles down on those committed to serving God may not be obvious to everyone, but it is true. Just remember that the answer is never to run away from the fight. The answer is to hold steady. Stay faithful right where you are. Don’t grow weary doing well. In God’s time and in His way it will pay off if you don’t run away.
Pastor Todd Weston
Nehemiah was a man with more troubles than he could shake a stick at. Commissioned with the monumental project of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah had complacency to deal with among his Jewish brothers, and outright opposition from the enemies of Israel. So great was the hostility of these adversaries that Nehemiah’s life was in jeopardy. That’s when someone suggested that Nehemiah make a run for it. Escape. Walk away from the problems. Life will be better somewhere else.
Nehemiah’s answer recorded in Nehemiah 6:11 was classic, “Should a man like me run away?” What a great response! As a man of God I believe Nehemiah was offended at the very suggestion that he would cut and run. He knew the story of Jonah which serves as a timeless reminder that running away never solves anything. In Jonah’s case, it only made things worse.
So Nehemiah stayed the course. He faced up to his problems with faith and the determination to see it through. And just four verses later Nehemiah was able to give this victorious report, “The wall was finished.” (v15). And in v16 he added, “When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence. They realized we had done this work with the help of our God.”
That life happens to everybody is obvious. That Satan doubles down on those committed to serving God may not be obvious to everyone, but it is true. Just remember that the answer is never to run away from the fight. The answer is to hold steady. Stay faithful right where you are. Don’t grow weary doing well. In God’s time and in His way it will pay off if you don’t run away.
Pastor Todd Weston