DAY 16: NEHEMIAH

“For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.” (Nehemiah 6:9)

Dear Christian,

Stand firm and strengthen your hands.

“Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” (Nehemiah 6:2-3)

Nehemiah was rebuilding the wall of a city that was destroyed and enemies would persistently go to Nehemiah to taunt, frighten, and distract him from his work. But Nehemiah refused to be distracted.

We live in a strange world full of distractions, noise, and chaos. It is easy to be swept by it, to be consumed by other people’s thoughts and opinions, to be consumed by the latest fad, to be consumed by the constant pursuit of external validation and success.

All these things distract us from doing the great work the Lord has given to us. But we can choose not to let it.

Instead of spending time and energy in distractions, let us strive to love God and one another well. Let’s show hospitality to strangers, let’s serve one another, let’s glean treasures from the Word of God, making disciples and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commanded. God is doing a great work in us, we cannot come down from it.

Love,
Patsy

—

Created as part of the Books of the Bible Collection where I meditate on God’s beauty and faithfulness from beginning to end for 66 days from Genesis to Revelation. Each painting will be accompanied by an envelope containing a personal reflection based on the text the painting is based on.

An 8x10 inch original watercolor painting on 100% cold pressed cotton paper, 2023.