Daily Lesson for September 23, 2020

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Nehemiah chapter 4 verses 15 through 22:

15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.16 From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, 18 and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!”

21 So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.”

This morning I am thinking about all that is before us. We have so much work ahead. So many things which have been knocked down, run over, or undone. The last six months has just been a final toppling for many But the walls were faltering for years and even decades. There is now so much to rebuild.

But even now we can't simply rebuild. We also have to watch, be aware, and protect ourselves. We have to remain vigilant. We have to be on guard.

It would be easy for us just to stop there. It would be easy for us to stay in self-preservation mode. But we can't do that. We also need to move forward -- to build.

The Israelites built by day and guarded by night. Some wielded the axe while others watched with the sword. Nothing was sure. All wasn't settled. There was still danger, which they took seriously and prepared for.

Yet, they pressed on -- to build the foundations, and the walls of their nation back again; that they might still dare to dream of something more perfect and lasting than the past.

NOTE: We are reading the whole Bible through this year. Tomorrow's Lesson will be from Nehemiah chapters 6 and 7.