Nehemiah

I spent a good portion of today preparing for the lesson I will be giving in church this Sunday and the talk I am leading a discussion on talks of Nehemiah from the Old Testament. I didn't know much about Nehemiah, but as I read about it, I loved something he said.

Nehemiah was being threatened and ridiculed for rebuilding his people's city in Jerusalem. The threats and persecution became very dangerous to the point where on 4 occasions, his enemies tried to lure him out of the city to do him harm. Each time his response was, 'I am doing a great work and so I cannot come down.'


Dieter F. Uchtdorf then expands by saying,

'What a remarkable response! With that clear and unchanging purpose of heart and mind, with that great resolve, the walls of Jerusalem rose until they were rebuilt in an astonishing 52 days.

Nehemiah refused to allow distractions to prevent him from doing what the Lord wanted him to do."

We live in times of great challenges and great opportunities. The Lord is seeking men like Nehemiah—faithful brethren ... He seeks to enlist unfaltering souls who diligently go about the work of building the kingdom of God—those who, when faced with opposition and temptation, say in their hearts, "I am doing a great work and cannot come down."

When faced with trial and suffering, they respond, "I am doing a great work and cannot come down."

When faced with ridicule and reproach, they proclaim, "I am doing a great work and cannot come down."

Our Heavenly Father seeks those who refuse to allow the trivial to hinder them in their pursuit of the eternal. He seeks those who will not allow the attraction of ease or the traps of the adversary to distract them from the work He has given them to perform. He seeks those whose actions conform to their words—those who say with conviction, "I am doing a great work and cannot come down."

I found the talk to be inspirational and wanted to share it with you!