Work Duty and Guard Duty

Nehemiah 4:16, 17 But from then on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. The leaders stationed themselves behind the people of Judah who were building the wall. The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. Nehemiah was eager in his mission to rebuild the walls, but he wasn't ignorant. He realized that not everyone was excited about the restoration of the city. There were people whose goal was to stop the work completely, and they were willing to fight to accomplish it. When this became evident, Nehemiah mixed work duty with guard duty. The people building the wall carried both tools and weapons. At all times they were ready to build or fight. We too must know that we have an enemy that would like nothing more than to stop the advancement of God's kingdom and the growth of His church. So does that mean that we should carry a weapon around with us as we serve God in the church? I believe that we guard ourselves and each other through prayer. If we work for God, and neglect prayer, then we find ourselves vulnerable to attack and discouragement. We should also be diligent to stand guard for our fellow workers and leaders in Christ. With hard work, and an active prayer life, we will see the mission accomplished!