Nehemiah

Nehemiah 1:5 O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keeps covenant and mercy for them that love Him and observe His commandments.

This book is a lesson in prayer, sacrifice, and tenacity, a challenging training manual in godly leadership. Nehemiah, the chief figure, relinquished a responsible and wealthy position with the king of Persia to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and rally the Jews as a nation. His work brought intense opposition from powerful men around him. Still, Nehemiah overcame threatened attacks by taking wise defensive measures, disunity within by squarely facing the problem and setting a personal example, and false accusations by insight and courage.

When the wall was completed, he took steps to have the city entirely inhabited, but above all, he arranged for Ezra to read the law so that the people could mold their lives by it. He and the nation confessed their national sins, sought God's forgiveness, and sealed a renewed covenant with God. People were brought into the city, arrangements were made for worship, and the walls were dedicated. However, as the years passed, the people continued to deviate from God's ideal, and Nehemiah had to implement new reforms despite opposition.
The book of Nehemiah demonstrates the importance of prayer and perseverance in God's work.

"We are not called to govern, as he did, with an iron hand, but we ought to be equally inflexible, decided, and resolute for God, and for His holy will." Charles Spurgeon

In affliction, I can greatly glorify God by faith.