“When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel” (Nehemiah 2:10).
TEXT — Nehemiah 2:9-11
Message
Modern rail transport debuted in England in the 19th century but only after overcoming stiff resistance from many quarters. The British Parliament, the aristocracy, farmers, landowners, and already established waterway companies all had objections emanating from their varying vested interests. Protagonists of the railroad somehow managed to prevail, and now urban mass rapid rail transit has become a permanent feature of most modern transport systems. It is unimaginable to think of a mega-city without one.
Our Bible passage today accounts for resilience’s power over unrelenting opposition. Israel had been in captivity for many generations, and their beloved city, Jerusalem, was left in ruins. Then Nehemiah showed up to rebuild the city, a quest that provoked the ire of those who would prefer that Israel remained in perpetual slavery and her cities in permanent ruins. The opposition was fierce and multi-faceted, but Nehemiah remained steadfast and prevailed. It takes a man with an iron-cast stomach to withstand the heat of persecution from the proverbial iron furnace.
Quitting is the easiest option for most people; when faced with opposition from detractors, they chicken out and give up their dreams. But then, champions are known by what obstacles they have surmounted more than by what they have achieved. Mediocrity is often clothed in the quitter’s garment rather than in nature’s limitation. When you turn tail and run, you increase your chances of failure next time. Still, when you face the obstacle with courage and faith, your spiritual muscles are trained and toned up for better performances. Those who toe the line of least resistance must be content to end up with the most negligible results. Nehemiah chose to run the gauntlet, thereby sealing his place among the faith heroes.
Thought for the day
The best way to face opposition is to take your position.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
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