Heroes

            Do you ever hear something that gets you all fired up and excited?  That has been the case for the past two weeks leaving church.  Our current sermon series is entitled “Heroes.”  The past two weeks have included two men who were sold out for living according to the will of God and nothing else: Jonathan and Nehemiah.  These men’s stories are amazing; they especially tug at the heartstrings of guys.  

            Jonathan’s story is like something straight out of Hollywood with scenes that bring to mind Braveheart or Gladiator.  My understanding is that Jonathan is a relatively young man at this point in I Samuel 14; however he takes one of only two swords in the Hebrew army and his armor-bearer to take on an army of giants.  He goes into battle telling the armor-bearer I will go to take on these men.  He was faithful to the burden God had laid on his heart despite not knowing what the outcome would be.  The outcome turns out to be God gave them the strength to go William Wallace (or Maximus) on them.  I encourage you to read the story for full details.

            Nehemiah was a man after God’s heart.  Nehemiah is determined to rebuild the wall to protect Jerusalem (Nehemiah 6:3).  Four times his enemies attempt to lure him into a meeting in which they intend to do him harm.  Each time he is working on finishing the wall and he responds, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.”  Nehemiah had a clear vision of what God wanted him to do in his life.  Anything that contributed to that vision he said, “Yes” and anything that distracted him from his vision he said, “No.”  What amazing discipline and passion. 

            As I am running my race of unknown distance but for sure finish line I hope to find my “battle” and “wall.”  I want to be able to say, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.”