Nehemiah Chapter 4
Distractions
October 2, 2022
Nehemiah 6:1-4 NIV
“When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it — though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates— 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono."But they were scheming to harm me; 3 so I sent messengers to them with this reply: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?" 4 Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.
Distractions are false priorities appearing urgent.
What am I supposed to do today?
What’s keeping me from doing the most important things?
2 Samuel 11:1-4 NIV
“In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. 2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 4 Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her.
There are two people most of us can connect with David’s story – Goliath and Bathsheba.
They both distract David.
As a young man, he was far more interested in the invisible God than the visible giant.
As an older man, he was more fascinated with the visible beauty than with the beauty of God.
He saw her.
He sent for her.
He got her.
We know we are distracted the moment we become takers and not servants.
This started because he was not in the center of his calling.
He was bored and playing it safe.
That’s the most dangerous place for any of us.
Our spiritual senses are the sharpest when we’re in the game.
John 5:19 NIV
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.
How do we keep our focus?
“Father in Heaven, what are you up to today, and how can I be a part?
When heaven seems silent, do what the Scriptures have told us.
Love your neighbor.
Take care of widows and orphans”
