"Get Your Fight On!"

Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes. (Nehemiah 4:14b NIV).

I suppose you could say that I am fired up! Early on Sunday morning I sent Kyle a text to confirm our Sunday schedule. He sent me a message back with times and places. Additionally he sent me back one Scripture reference that had touched him. It was our reading today. I’ve read the Bible through several times, but I guess it wasn’t yet time for this verse to make such an impact in my mind. It got me fired up!

The background is from the period when Nehemiah had returned to Jerusalem to lead the people to rebuild the walls of the city and make it safe once again for the people. There were threats made against them from every side, yet he stands and reminds them that the need to do two things: remember the Lord and fight! They had a great reason to fight. It was high stakes. They were fighting for their brothers, sons and daughters, wives and their homes!

Can there be anything more worthy of fighting for than our families? Is there anything more valuable that we have in life than our families? I’m afraid that I often see people who act like the answer is “yes.” Their priorities reveal the sad truth that there are many other things that are more important. They put their careers, their possessions, or any of a dozen other things ahead of their family. Well, in case I haven’t been plain enough up to this point, let me get a little “exuberant” in print – THERE IS SIMPLY NOTHING MORE INPORTANT IN LIFE THAN YOUR FAMILY! And, before some of the sanctimonious saints reading this devotional email me back with the exhortation that god must be first in our lives, let me remind you that God is in a separate category altogether. He is not first in a list of things to prioritize. God should be the center of our lives and from Him we receive the power to fight for our family!

The world, the flesh, and the devil would love nothing more than to destroy your family. And, with even a cursory examination of our culture, they are having a great deal of success. I know there are rarely simple answers to the powerful forces of evil seeking to destroy our families, but can I say that the place to begin is first cast away your fear of them. “Don’t be afraid. Remember your God. He is great and awesome!” then second, get your fight on! If you go on to read a little further in this chapter of Nehemiah it records how the men went to work, carrying brick and mortar in one and a sword in the other! The time for political correctness is long past. We must be men of compassion, grace and mercy; but, we must remember we are at war. We can not be complacent, lazy, or ignorant when it comes to the protection of our families spiritually, physically, or emotionally. Come on guys… GET YOUR FIGHT ON!