A Pain in the Side

Have you ever had to get something done and something or someone becomes a barrier? It could be someone who is opposed to your good idea at work, or it could be as benign as someone interrupting you while shoveling snow to talk and talk and talk.  Either way, such people, as nice as they can be, are sometimes a pain in the side.

 

Nehemiah Inspecting the Walls

Today’s reading is from Nehemiah 2:11-20. The Israelites had turned away from God. As a result, many of them had been exiled to Babylon. The walls of Jerusalem had been destroyed. God promised to restore the Israelites, and Nehemiah, sent by King Artaxerxes, was inspecting the damage to the walls prior to their return.

The walls, of course, needed to be rebuilt to provide for the defense of the Israelites once they returned.

 

Nehemiah ran into his pain in the side in the persons of Sanballat, Horonite and Tobiah. (As an aside, the name Sanballat means “The moon god Sin has given life”, which speaks volumes.) These three were stirring up trouble for Nehemiah.

 

This story is a lot like my life. I was born a sinner, with no redeeming qualities, yet God restored me. Just like Nehemiah was sent by Artaxerxes, Jesus was sent by God for my restoration, both now and later. Because of Jesus, I am a member of Christ’s Kingdom now, and I will be a member of a perfect, restored creation when Christ returns.

 

I still have a pain in the side to deal with, and that is Satan. Like Sanballat, Horonoite and Tobiah, he will falsely accuse me of many things. He will make the trip to the restored creation as difficult as he can. His goal is to see to it that I do not make it.

 

Yet God promised my restoration.  He promised me eternal life and He keeps his promises.

 

Jesus is my wall of defense against Satan. My salvation is ensured. Satan will try to attack, but Satan will always be on the other side of the wall. At best, he can only be a pain in the side.