The people were actively engaged in doing God's work. There was no doubt what they were doing was important and to a degree, they weren't worried. But their enemy was determined to intimidate, threaten and even undermine their work, so everyone was alert while they worked, keeping an eye on what was happening around them.

What's a person to do when threats and such distract them from doing their work? First, Nehemiah stationed some to work and watch and others to watch and pray (with eyes open). Within the family units that were working on the wall around the city, were equipped with weapons to appear as if they were ready to put their tools down and use weapons against any aggressor. If you were going to work, then you were to work with one hand and hold a weapon in the other.

Secondly, Nehemiah reminded the people that the God for whom they worked was great - even beyond their imagination, well able to protect anyone who marched under his Banner. May we then, take a page from the operations manual of the wall builders and do the things they did to prevail over their enemy: they worked and were well-armed as they watched, prayed and remembered God's awesome power to give them victory.

1 Developed from Read the Bible Thru ( Nh. 3:15-5:13 1 Co. 7:20-40 Ps. 32:1-11 Pr. 21:5-7 )
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society

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