Wednesday, August 28, 2013

After Four Invites

Nehemiah 6:4
Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.

With all the Napoles-pork barrel news flooding our nation’s front pages, there’s one item which I found most amusing. Not that I am verifying that the accusations were true, I am no law expert here. But who wouldn’t be suspicious? First, these senators denied knowing Napoles at all.  With around P400M of their allocations going to her bogus NGOs, I wonder how they did not take time to get to know her. Days after, we see them in a photograph together plus a document proving their family members were business partners. Their statements went from ‘not knowing at all’ to ‘just casual acquaintances’ to ‘not on a personal level’ relationship. Quite confusing, really.

As early as chapter 2, we’ve been seeing the names Sanballat and Tobiah ran alongside the wall rebuilding.  They were as passionate as every Jew in daily checking the status of the project. Only theirs was on the destructive side. Today, we see them inviting Nehemiah to meet with them. They made it appear like a casual gathering of course. But God warned Nehemiah’s heart that it was a scheme to harm him. The verse above mentioned the invitation came four times. Actually it went up to five. And every time, it was met with a NO answer and this reason: because he was carrying on a great project and the work shouldn’t stop. No sweet excuses. Nothing sour either. Just truth and the resolve to stay to his call.

Given the same scenario, how will we fare? Will we lose it on third invite? Say being on a diet and a teaser would treat you to a buffet?  My answers would have progressed from ‘No’ to ‘Not now’ to ‘How about next time’ to ‘Just one hour’ to actually piggin’ out.  Even if it’s work and not diet, a nagging temptation is just hard to resist. Hard but not impossible. There is always a God-provided way out so we can endure it. The crucial part is to know why we’re saying No. Without God’s truth to back us up, we’ll end up more vulnerable to giving in. It is imperative to know that it is God who has purposed you to do all that’s in your hands today. That’s the only answer you have to give to your full-time, faithful distractions. One which you have to believe yourself.

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After Four Invites

Nehemiah 6:4
Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.

With all the Napoles-pork barrel news flooding our nation’s front pages, there’s one item which I found most amusing. Not that I am verifying that the accusations were true, I am no law expert here. But who wouldn’t be suspicious? First, these senators denied knowing Napoles at all.  With around P400M of their allocations going to her bogus NGOs, I wonder how they did not take time to get to know her. Days after, we see them in a photograph together plus a document proving their family members were business partners. Their statements went from ‘not knowing at all’ to ‘just casual acquaintances’ to ‘not on a personal level’ relationship. Quite confusing, really.

As early as chapter 2, we’ve been seeing the names Sanballat and Tobiah ran alongside the wall rebuilding.  They were as passionate as every Jew in daily checking the status of the project. Only theirs was on the destructive side. Today, we see them inviting Nehemiah to meet with them. They made it appear like a casual gathering of course. But God warned Nehemiah’s heart that it was a scheme to harm him. The verse above mentioned the invitation came four times. Actually it went up to five. And every time, it was met with a NO answer and this reason: because he was carrying on a great project and the work shouldn’t stop. No sweet excuses. Nothing sour either. Just truth and the resolve to stay to his call.

Given the same scenario, how will we fare? Will we lose it on third invite? Say being on a diet and a teaser would treat you to a buffet?  My answers would have progressed from ‘No’ to ‘Not now’ to ‘How about next time’ to ‘Just one hour’ to actually piggin’ out.  Even if it’s work and not diet, a nagging temptation is just hard to resist. Hard but not impossible. There is always a God-provided way out so we can endure it. The crucial part is to know why we’re saying No. Without God’s truth to back us up, we’ll end up more vulnerable to giving in. It is imperative to know that it is God who has purposed you to do all that’s in your hands today. That’s the only answer you have to give to your full-time, faithful distractions. One which you have to believe yourself.