Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
While the walls of Jerusalem were being rebuilt under threat from enemies, the people made prayer to God and set a guard against them day and night, joining trust in God with practical watchfulness. Prayer and practical vigilance belong together in the face of opposition to the work.
Prayer and practical action belong together, for God's people are to pray in faith while working with diligence, prudence, and careful planning. Careful, well-matured plans joined to earnest petitions are essential to carrying forward sacred work, with petition mingled with earnest endeavor. Prayer does not replace practical effort but must be mingled with endeavor, so using judicious, rational remedies alongside prayer for the sick is not a denial of faith.
The call is to constant guarding day and night, without relaxing watchfulness or vigilance for a moment, because enemies are continually on the track. Watching means observing the work of adversaries lest they gain advantage in deceiving souls, and in the wisdom of Christ making efforts to defeat their purposes. There is constant danger of becoming self-sufficient and relying on human wisdom instead of making God the strength. Sensing danger creates the need for prayer, and knowledge of Satan's devices disturbs him, while prayer obtains sure defense and security in peril and carelessness and indifference bring certain defeat by his devices. Perplexities and burdens are to be taken to God in prayer, yet prayer does not excuse doing nothing.
God's servants must refuse to be diverted from duty by threats or mockery or falsehood or repeated calls to leave their work and form a confederacy with agents of evil. They are to keep safely on with their work and let faithful work refute the falsehoods coined to injure them, without letting adversaries call them away from their great work, because truth is stronger than error and righteousness will prevail over wrong. Facing opposition calls for this reliance on God together with determined action, and when the people remained loyal and worked in harmony the work could not be stopped. The enemy could gain entrance only through betrayal within, and attacks strengthened reliance on God and resolve to continue His work.
God heard the prayers offered amid repeated hindrances to the wall-building and opened the way for the work to continue. He heard the prayer for help against enemies and moved heathen kings to help and carry out His purpose despite their opposition. As the builders met opposition of every description while the broken-down wall steadily went up, so those repairing the breach made in the law of God by warning the world and turning many from trampling the Sabbath will meet opposition of every description while the work steadily advances with angels working with faithful servants. If they watch and pray and work as the builders did, God will fight their battles for them and give them precious victories, and no man can stop the work because God is in it.
While the walls of Jerusalem were being rebuilt under threat from enemies, the people made prayer to God and set a guard against them day and night, joining trust in God with practical watchfulness. Prayer and practical vigilance belong together in the face of opposition to the work.
Prayer and practical action belong together, for God's people are to pray in faith while working with diligence, prudence, and careful planning. Careful, well-matured plans joined to earnest petitions are essential to carrying forward sacred work, with petition mingled with earnest endeavor. Prayer does not replace practical effort but must be mingled with endeavor, so using judicious, rational remedies alongside prayer for the sick is not a denial of faith.
The call is to constant guarding day and night, without relaxing watchfulness or vigilance for a moment, because enemies are continually on the track. Watching means observing the work of adversaries lest they gain advantage in deceiving souls, and in the wisdom of Christ making efforts to defeat their purposes. There is constant danger of becoming self-sufficient and relying on human wisdom instead of making God the strength. Sensing danger creates the need for prayer, and knowledge of Satan's devices disturbs him, while prayer obtains sure defense and security in peril and carelessness and indifference bring certain defeat by his devices. Perplexities and burdens are to be taken to God in prayer, yet prayer does not excuse doing nothing.
God's servants must refuse to be diverted from duty by threats or mockery or falsehood or repeated calls to leave their work and form a confederacy with agents of evil. They are to keep safely on with their work and let faithful work refute the falsehoods coined to injure them, without letting adversaries call them away from their great work, because truth is stronger than error and righteousness will prevail over wrong. Facing opposition calls for this reliance on God together with determined action, and when the people remained loyal and worked in harmony the work could not be stopped. The enemy could gain entrance only through betrayal within, and attacks strengthened reliance on God and resolve to continue His work.
God heard the prayers offered amid repeated hindrances to the wall-building and opened the way for the work to continue. He heard the prayer for help against enemies and moved heathen kings to help and carry out His purpose despite their opposition. As the builders met opposition of every description while the broken-down wall steadily went up, so those repairing the breach made in the law of God by warning the world and turning many from trampling the Sabbath will meet opposition of every description while the work steadily advances with angels working with faithful servants. If they watch and pray and work as the builders did, God will fight their battles for them and give them precious victories, and no man can stop the work because God is in it.