Remember me with favor, O my God.
-Nehemiah 13:31
Would you think it strange if I said that Nehemiah and Paul the Apostle had a lot in common? The common trait I see in them is that they both shared a desire to finish the race God had set before them. Nehemiah would not rest until he had completed the tasks that the Lord gave him to do. A major part of that was leading the people of God to holiness and dedication to God’s Word. Like many great leaders he faced opposition on every side. Yet he remained steadfast in his commitment to God’s Word. One of the biggest challenges he faced was motivating the people to holy living. This will always be the challenge of the church today. Start talking to people about holy living and they may start looking at you like you are from another planet. But let us not grow discouraged and may we ever continue to hold fast to the true and upright principles taught in the Word of God.
Consider that Nehemiah was trying to lead the people back to a right relationship with God. Was he being too hard on them? I do not think so. There are times when we cannot compromise and a firm stand must be taken. The book ends with Temple worship being re-established, and with Nehemiah’s prayer that God remember him with favor for the good that he had done. The Lord does not hold our mistakes up in front of us to remind us of them, but He remembers the good that we have done.
Like Nehemiah, let us always be faithful and serve the Lord with determined faith.
