Hold Your Ground
I’ll tell you what, friend, ease your way right up here on this front porch like a lil’ ol’ firefly lookin’ for a real good place to land ‘cause we’re ‘bout to be shin’ a lil’ bit o’ truth right now. You know, some days git to feelin’ ‘bout as peaceful as a hen tryin’ to hatch her eggs while a pack of lil’ ol’ nosy raccoons start peekin inside the chickencoop. Nehemiah knew that there kind o’ feelin’. He once said, “For they all were trying to make us afraid… Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands” (Nehemiah 6:9). Fear was barkin’ at Nehemiah like a hound dog that forgot who owns the yard, but ol’ Nehemiah kept right on doin’ his job o’ buildin’.
Nehemiah had enemies buzzin’ all ‘round him like big ol’ horseflies pesterin’ people at a church picnic. Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, and the whole crew were tryin’ real hard to distract him with invitations, rumors, and nonsense (Nehemiah 6:1-8). They wanted him to come down off that there wall, but Nehemiah said, “I am doin’ a great work, so I cannot come down” (Nehemiah 6:3). That there had more focus than a barn cat stalkin’ a mouse.
And friend, if you have ever felt fear nibblin’ at your ankles like a jittery chipmunk tryin’ to outrun its own shadow, you’re in mighty fine company. Missionary John G. Paton once stood surrounded by warriors with weapons raised. Instead o’ panickin’, he lifted his hands up in the air and prayed right out loud right in front of everybody. An’ just like that, those warriors slipped away like they was shy deer in the brush. Fear tried to holler, but faith hollered a whole lot louder.
The world still tries to make us afraid. It whispers, “Give up. Come down. Quit buildin’.” But fear is a liar wearin’ real muddy boots. When it comes knockin’, we’ve gotta’ do just what Nehemiah did. We’ve gotta’ be liftin’ our hands. We’ve gotta’ be liftin’ our eyes. We gotta’ be prayin’, “Lord, strengthen my hands.” And the God who made the mountains steadies us like an ol’ mama cow nudgin’ her baby calf to stand real tall.
Friend, the Lord don’t ever abandon His people in their trembling. He strengthens our hands. He steadies our knees. He reminds us that the work He gave us is worth standin’ firm for. And when we trust Him, our courage grows taller than an ol’ pine tree stretchin’ toward heaven.
Father, thank You for being my strength when fear tries to rattle me. Help me stand firm like Nehemiah and keep my hands steady in the work You have given me. Teach me to lift my eyes to You when trouble comes and to trust Your protection and timin’. Let my life shine with courage that points others to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Now, bless my bones, friend, go on out there and face your day like a lil’ ol’ Banty rooster that has finally realized the sun is gonna’ rise whether he crows or not. Stand firm, keep right on buildin’, and let your courage be preachin’ louder than any fear that tries to be hollerin’ your way. And remember, the God who strengthens your hands will never let your purpose fall apart like an ol’ barn roof in a big hailstorm. You’ve gotta’ keep right on steppin’ forward with joy, carryin’ His strength like a brightly shinin’ brass lantern that stubbornly refuses to even flicker.
With joy,
Gwen
