Monthly Devotional

by Jeff Friend

Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water. (Neh. 4:23, NIV)

As the Jews were working feverishly to repair the destroyed walls of Jerusalem, they received word that their enemies were preparing to launch an aggressive attack to stop them. Nehemiah stationed people to defend the wall as the repair work continued. He also ordered that half of the men would be equipped with weapons and stand guard while the other half kept building. In fact, the men were so committed to the task that they didn't even take the time to change their clothes! The men supported each other and took turns working and guarding. As we work for the Lord, Satan tries to attack us, so we must constantly be alert and prepared for battle, yet still pressing on to complete the work before us. As men of God, we need to band together to fight the enemy's attacks and encourage one another that we will be victorious. So stand firm, stand united, and just like the Jews, keep your pants on!