Spiritual Complacency

Read: Nehemiah 6:1-14

". . . they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, 'Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.'" (v. 9)

One of my favorite TV shows is "The Deadliest Catch," a reality show about crab fishing in the Bering Sea. These men brave fierce weather and violent waves to catch crabs. It's a lucrative but dangerous job. Every year accidents kill or injure some fishermen. Most of the accidents happen when the guys get comfortable with life on the vessel. Carelessness sets in, leading them to take greater risks, and one mistake is all it takes to bring disaster.

Nehemiah's team had finished the wall except for the gates. The people had overcome poor morale, fatigue, enemy opposition, and their own internal problems that had threatened the viability of this project. Just when it seemed they were home free, Nehemiah's enemies tried one more time to thwart their progress by spreading false rumors of a Jewish revolt against the Persian king. In faith Nehemiah prayed for strength and prevailed against the opposition. Without his alert leadership, the project to restore and protect Jerusalem could have failed.

We cannot be complacent in our faith. We must anticipate detours and dead ends in our efforts to grow and serve. We should always be alert—especially when we think we know what's coming next.

Prayer: Lord, keep me from growing spiritually careless. Amen.

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