Nehemiah 4:10-23 NRSV

In the second half of the fourth chapter we read where Nehemiah and the builders and repairers of the Jerusalem wall had run directly into another wall.  They had hit the wall which we often hit along our journeys to become the persons God is calling us to become, a wall called discouragement.   Verse 10 reads:  “The strength of the burden bearers is failing.”  How often are we discouraged by a loss of strength?  Sickness and disease and age are often the building blocks in a wall of discouragement.  How often have we wished we could do some of the things we did when we were younger and healthier?

We also read in verse 10 that they were unable to work because their vision had became clouded by the large amount of rubbish.  How often are we discouraged by a loss of vision?   How often are we unable to see all of the good in life for all of the bad in life?

We read in verse eleven that the builders and repairers also became discouraged by what their enemies were saying about them.  How often do the things that others say about us and think about us discourage us?

We are doing just fine.  Life is good.   Everything is going along smoothly.  We are making progress.  We are moving forward.  Then, like Nehemiah and the builders and repairers of the Jerusalem wall, we all at times hit a wall, a tremendous wall called discouragement.  So what then?  What do we do after we hit this wall.  Let’s look closely at how Nehemiah responds.

Nehemiah said to the builders and the repairers:  “The work is great and widely spread out, and we are separated from one another on the wall.  Rally to us wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet.  And our God will fight for us.”

Nehemiah said, although we separated from one another, we can come together and know that God is for us, not against us, God is with us and not away for us, God on our side fighting for us, doing all that God can do working all things together for the good.  I believe this is one of the great purposes of the church. Whenever we hear the sound of the trumpet, the sounds of discouragement, we are to rally. We are to rally to be encouragers, to build one another up, to give strength and vision, to support and love and care.  And we are to remind each other that no matter how hard we hit the wall or how big that wall may be, our God will stay with us and fight for us.

Through our weekly worship, we recommit ourselves to this purpose. As we remember how Jesus offered himself to us, his body and his blood, we too offer our bodies, our blood, and our lives to one another. So when we hit the wall called discouragement, with the help found through this church, we can bounce right back and continue our journeys in becoming the persons God is calling us to become.