https://odb.org/2026/09/17/look-to-god
Nehemiah 4:6–14 (NIV): 6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. 9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
10 Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.”
11 Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.”
12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
13 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. 14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
As they prayed, Elise started to feel more assured. Just keep looking to God, she told herself. With this God-given peace of mind and Sam’s practical tip, she went to work—and completed the task in time. As she did so, Elise recalled the Israelites’ mammoth task of rebuilding their city wall (Nehemiah 4). As if it wasn’t difficult enough, enemies mocked them and conspired to sabotage their work. But Nehemiah encouraged them to keep looking to God. “By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall,” Judah said, but Nehemiah replied, “Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome.” (vv. 10, 14 esv). Then he deployed the men to work on the wall and guard against attackers, with leaders behind them (v. 16). He also encouraged them, saying, “Our God will fight for us” (v. 20). (Leslie Koh, Our Daily Bread 17th September 2026)
We should spend some time reading the book of Nehemiah as it keeps an account how the exiles after the second invasion of Israel (Judah) were allowed to return and rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem. Biblically this is also known as the Babylonian invasion. It was by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon where the Temple was destroyed but it had a happy ending in the sense that the Temple and Jerusalem walls were rebuilt by Nehemiah and the people working with him including Ezra the prophet.
The ancient Jewish exiles were allowed to return because there was a change in the political powers in the natural (political shift) as Babylon was later invaded by the Persians. It was the Persian King, Cyrus the Great, who issued the decree allowing the Israelites to return to Israel, unlike the first invasion of Israel by the Assyrians which led to the loss of the ten tribes. Not that the Northern Israelites were killed but they never returned during those biblical times as they assimilated into Assyrian society. I’m not sure though whether modern day Israel (constituted in 1948) comprised of those who originated from those ten tribes.
The thrust of today’s devotion is when we commit our struggles to God like Nehemiah did, He will help us through our struggles. So if we are struggling over something whether personally or at work or in the family or even in the church, let the Lord take control and hopefully the issues and struggles will be resolved.
But note that in respect of the Babylonian invasion, a geo-political shift at the superpower level (surely pre-arranged by God Himself at the highest levels just like He allowed the Babylonians to overrun Jerusalem) allowed a change at the micro level enabling the exiles’ return. Like the Jacob clan who ended up becoming slaves in Egypt after Joseph passed with new Pharoahs ruling Egypt, macro changes and political shifts affect lives of ordinary people.
We do not know what the future lies for Malaysia with the uncertainty posed by the upcoming GE16, but we pray that God will allow us especially Malaysian believers in Christ to enjoy a time of peace, and political and social stability for our children to grow and earn a living and have their own children. Most importantly, for years to come where we may freely worship God like we used to in this beloved country of ours for the past 100 years! Blessed Malaysia Day again!
Ronnie's Thoughts 