Title: Who Can I Count On?/ Topic: Trusting God

Today’s Reading: Nehemiah 5; Nehemiah 6; Psalm 146; Luke 24

Scripture: Nehemiah 6:14 & Psalm 146:3-5
14 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me.

3 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.
4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,

Observation: Nehemiah had kept his eyes on the Lord in order to complete the wall around Jerusalem. He had had many enemies try to intimidate and dissuade him. Worst of all, some of his own people, leaders and prophets, had joined forces to cause him to fail. Nehemiah is an example of a person who lived by the advice given in the verses from Psalm 146: "Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men who cannot save." He was blessed because he trusted in God and listened to Him.

Application: It doesn't matter if the people around me are friends or foes; if I trust in them, I will never have security. None of them can save me. My enemies don't want to and my friends have no power to. Only the Lord can truly help me in every situation. I need to put my whole trust in him; not in any other person, including myself.

Prayer: Father, help me to be discerning like Nehemiah was. I do want to be discerning about the spirit in which people are coming to me. But ultimately I want to trust only you. You are my Rock, my Redeemer, my Helper, my Protector, my Healer and my Provider. Thank you for all your blessings and roles in my life.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.