So we laboured in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared. At the same time I also said to the people, “Let each man and his servant stay at night in Jerusalem, that they may be our guard by night and a working party by day.” So neither I, my brethren, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me took off our clothes, except that everyone took them off for washing. – Nehemiah 4.19-23
This was serious work. They knew that if the walls were not put up there would be major problems. As the work continued on the wall they noticed that that the workers were getting farther and farther apart. They need a unifying call in case there was a problem so Nehemiah said ‘when you hear the trumpet gather here.’ And then he gave them the encouraging words ‘Our God will fight for us.’
The people knew they had a job to do. They also knew that it was not their job alone.
I like their balance. As they trusted God they knew they still had a part to play and they took it seriously. They worked so hard that hey were always at the ready. They never even took time to change clothes unless they needed washing.
It sounds a little funny to say it, but our work is a partnership with God. It is a partnership with one very obvious senior partner, but we do partner with Him in the work. We are to work – but we do it in the realisation what any success we have comes because of who God is.
I don’t think it is too much for us to say that God has graciously chosen to partner us with Him.
How can we fail on that kind of partner?
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