Nehemiah 6:2-3 NKJV – ‘That Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, ‘Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono.’ But they thought to do me harm. So I sent messengers to them, saying, ‘I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?’’
My parents used to tell me to “face my front” (stay focused) when I would get distracted by things that were none of my business or not relevant to the moment. Now, as a young adult, I am increasingly aware of the relevance of this phrase in my walk with God.
The enemy is crafty. His hatred for the children of God drives him to come up with numerous ways to distract us from the work that God has called us to do.
In our verse for today, Nehemiah is rebuilding Jerusalem because the Lord placed it on his heart to do so. This job is what many call ‘kingdom work’, a.k.a work done to advance the kingdom of God on earth. The enemy attempted to use Sanballat and Geshem to distract Nehemiah.
They could have harmed Nehemiah in a way that prevented him from continuing the work. If the enemy had been successful, this great work could have slowed down or ceased. However, Nehemiah recognized the distraction and displayed a simple quality to thwart the enemy’s plans: single-mindedness. Nehemiah was so focused on God’s instruction that he could not be swayed by any attempt to distract him.
This passage shows us the importance of “facing our front” which looks like letting God be our main focus. Without single-mindedness, we give the enemy a chance to disrupt what God is doing in and through us.
The Lord used Nehemiah to fulfill His promise; He would gather the children of Israel into a dwelling place that He chose if they returned to Him and kept His commandments. In fulfilling this promise, the Lord provided safety for His children and brought them out of captivity. If Nehemiah had not “faced his front”, he may have delayed the fulfillment of this promise by many years.
Our situations are not so different from Nehemiah’s. The Lord has called all of us to be workers in His kingdom. It is up to us to “face our front” which is Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2) and not be distracted by the crafty tools of the enemy. These distractions can take many forms — some of which seem great at first glance — which is why it is important to pray for help discerning what is of God and what is not
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for your intentionality in creating me. Show me Your purpose for my life that I may walk in it and help me to discern those things which are meant to distract me from the work you are giving me. In Jesus’ name, amen.