First Love

Our story is based on Nehemiah 6

The brightly coloured aeroplane taxies down the long runway. It covers half of it, then speeds up. Then it seems to stop while the sound of the engines transforms into a whine. At this point, it can only take to the air. It can no longer remain on the ground without crashing and perhaps killing everyone on board. No matter how good the pilot is, they have passed the point of no return.

What about Christians today. Many are still struggling to find their first love and passion. As time passed after their conversion, things seemed to have cooled down and rutted. And most of the time, younger, weaker Christians are led astray by this indifference.

Our story reveals that Tobias had written four times requesting a meeting with Nehemiah. Four times, Nehemiah had sent back that he was too busy to meet him and his friends. Finally, an exasperated Tobias wrote an open letter to Nehemiah. In the letter, he accused him of plotting a revolt against King Artaxerxes, the king who gave him the permission and resources to rebuild Jerusalem. Artaxerxes could be a good ally but a very terrible enemy.

The thought must have frightened Nehemiah. Yet his response for the fifth time to Tobias and Sanballat, his crony, was, “I am doing great work and cannot stop to attend to you”. Nehemiah also added that Tobias’ accusations were fiction which he (Tobias) had hoped would frighten them to stop (Nehemiah 6:8).

Nehemiah is just like your usual movie hero or heroine. He showed commitment! The Bible does not say that he received any particular vision. Yet, he woke up each morning to go to the project that could lead to his disgrace and death because he knew God was on his side. He prayed regularly. And God came through for him. It was clear that Nehemiah’s ‘aeroplane’ had passed three-quarters of his runway, and he was not going to let anything stop him.

What about you? What about me? Since when did we come to know God? Haven’t we passed the point where the things of God should receive and enjoy our consistent commitment? Especially those things we are passionate about. Why are many of us taxiing past our life’s runway into the bushes (and dragging others along with us)? What happened to our first love? Jesus is coming, people. And He is carrying crowns for victors! Please, my friend, will there be a crown for you?

Tags: commitment, passion, gospel call, spiritual gifts