“Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.” (Nehemiah 4:9, NKJV) 

God’s enemies were resolute in trying to undermine the work of building the wall, particularly as they saw the progress being made. Fueled by anger, “they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it” (Neh. 4:8). 

Not surprisingly, the Jews resorted to prayer, likely at the initiative of Nehemiah and certainly at his example. But something else is highlighted for us, something along with prayer. “Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night” (Neh. 4:9). 

Just as earlier Nehemiah had prayed and asked (the king), here we see the people prayed and acted. Prayer does not preclude action, but often includes it. Indeed, prayer is the first action, and that first action sets the tone and establishes the direction for what follows. 

In the model prayer Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He has us ask God for our daily bread. Yet, to the church at Thessalonica Paul writes: “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” (2 Thess. 3:10). Pray and do. Do because we pray. Pray to do. 

This two-pronged approach to kingdom work is prominent in Nehemiah 4. In view of the work to be done and the opposition of the enemy, Nehemiah lifted the eyes of the laborers to the God they served. They were engaged in His work and were dependent upon His providence, provision, and protection. 

We get an idea of the psychological warfare of the enemy to bring down morale, to sow seeds of doubt, and to discourage the work. “Then Judah said, ‘The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.’ And our adversaries said, ‘They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and kill them and cause the work to cease’” (Neh. 4:10–11). 

We can identify with the dispirited laborers of Judah for the work to which we are called. The task seems so daunting and our strength so meager. Yet it is the Lord Jesus who is with us and who will build His church. 

Nehemiah encouraged the workers by reminding them that they labored in the Lord. “And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, ‘Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses’” (Neh. 4:14). 

We would do well to take heart this encouragement for the kingdom work before us. It begins with remembering the Lord. We need to call to mind the God we serve, and that He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or could even conceive. 

Nehemiah records not only his words of encouragement that lifted their eyes to the ultimate Encouragement, but also the encouragement of the community, co-laborers in the mission, praying and doing according to the need. “Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon” (Neh. 4:17). 

How are praying and doing intertwined? How do they help us remember the Lord? 

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15). 

Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.