We Prayed and We Guarded . . .

Introduction

During the fifth century B.C., God directed Nehemiah to oversee the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem because Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed the city and sent Judah into captivity over a century earlier. Even though Nehemiah obeyed without hesitation, he faced opposition from those who opposed Jerusalem’s restoration. Nehemiah 4:9 his reaction to adversity: But we prayed to our God, and because of them [the enemies] we set up a guard against them day and night.

Verse 9 is one of the most familiar portions of the Book of Nehemiah. It teaches two important truths: 1) the importance of prayer; and 2) the importance of human responsibility. Many believers fail to realize that these two concepts go hand-in-hand with one another rather than contradicting each other. 

1. The Importance of Prayer

Prayer is of the utmost importance to the believer because it is our communication with God. Few of us could obtain an audience with the president or any other world leader, but the Creator of the universe hears the prayers of His children! The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous. (Prov. 15:29)

There are several reasons why a believer should pray, and the “ACTS” acronym summarizes them nicely:

A = Adoration of God

C = Confession of sin

T = Thanksgiving for God’s blessings and provisions

S = Supplication (prayer requests)

2. The Importance of Human Responsibility

Prayer does not negate human responsibility. Years ago, one of my neighbors refused to lock the door to his home at night because he felt that this would be a failure to trust in God’s protection. His actions can be summarized with one word: ridiculous! 

Even though Nehemiah and the workers prayed, they continued to guard the building project with weapons: From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah (Neh. 4:16). In other words, to trust in God does not mean to make reckless decisions based on a faulty understanding of faith.

Conclusion

Medieval monks were fond of saying “ora et labora,” “to pray and to work” (Fensham, 184). Derek Kidner further elaborated that there must be a “partnership of heaven and earth, of trust and good management” (Kidner, 92). Nehemiah 4:9 is a good reminder of these complimentary concepts.

Bibliography

Fensham, F. Charles. The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah. In The New International Commentaryon the Old Testament. Edited by R. K. Harrison and Robert L. Hubbard, Jr. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982.

 

Kidner, Derek. Ezra and Nehemiah: An Introduction and Commentary. In Tyndale OldTestament Commentaries. Edited by D. J. Wiseman. Leicester: Inter-Varsity, 1979.