Get a Gun…
Nehemiah 2:19-20
19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?” 20 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”
As Christians, many of us to default to “defending” our faith by verbally discussing and proving Biblical principles. We go out of our way to argue points and stand up for our relationship with Christ. Sometimes we sink into the apologetic mindset and that it is the only way to defend what we believe.
Nehemiah defended his faith and never needed apologetics:
- actions reflected his faith in God — Nehemiah turned to God in prayer when speaking to the King
- stood by God’s instructions — did what God had placed on his heart
- did not back down — stood against enemy military leaders
Today, we may not a have a wall that has been destroyed or enemy leaders to stand against. However we are called to defend our faith by more than just arguing. Defending your faith is walking out a Christian lifestyle in everything you do. Our words, actions, and thoughts should be a reflection of the faith we try so hard to argue for.
Defending our faith means being the same Christian around family and friends who may not know Jesus and around those you serve with. Defending our faith means sticking with the life we have been called to live. There may be a time in your life where you may have to stand against family and friends, there may be a time where your actions will be different from those around you because of your faith.
There will be a time when there is no one around you to back you up. Like Nehemiah against the enemy, he valiantly stood for God. How far will you go?
–ashley
