The Boomerang Prayer – Nehemiah 4:4

4 Nehemiah prayed, "Oh listen to us, dear God. We're so despised: Boomerang their ridicule on their heads; have their enemies cart them off as war trophies to a land of no return;

– Nehemiah 4:4

As Christians, sometimes we get the impression that we should always be agreeable, and nice, and ready to turn the other cheek . . . every time.  While most of our daily "attacks" do warrant such responses of Grace and Forgiveness, sometimes, when the enemy comes calling and the attacks are threatening our health, our homes, our families, and most importantly, the Kingdom work that God has assigned us, we have to pray a Boomerang prayer and ask God to SMACK the attackers with a dose of their own medicine.  In today's scripture we see that Nehemiah's adversaries were closing in all around the Jews who were trying to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem.  They were poised for attack and threatening their very lives, so what did Nehemiah do?  He sprang into action!  He got swords, and lances, and shields, and all the workers armed themselves!  But get this . . . and this is SO important . . . they armed themselves for Defense, and they asked God to go on the offensive and fight the battle for them while they continued their work of rebuilding that wall.

When I was a kid we had a saying: "I'm rubber and you're glue, whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you!"  That's the best description of the Boomerang prayer I can think of.  It's basically asking God to return the "favor" to those people who would make it their life's mission to see you fail.  But while God is doing His work and "Gluing" it to them, it is up to us to arm ourselves and to make sure our defenses and our fortifications are well-established.  We MUST be in the Word, every day, so that we can continue the work that God has given us to do.  We have to daily, put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), so that we can produce the fruit that Glorifies God and fulfills His purpose in our lives.

So when the enemy comes around, and you begin to feel and to hear the murmuring and the lies, grab your armor!  Don't get discouraged and don't quit what God has given you to do.  Pray that Boomerang prayer because you have Truth and Righteousness on your side! Keep moving forward with Peace and Faith in your heart! Have confidence in the power of your Salvation and above all else, roll up your sleeves, dig into His Holy Word, and produce fruit!  Be a fruit tree!  Be an orchard!  Be ALL that God intended you to be, because He goes before you and foils the schemes of the enemy!  He Glues it to them!  He sends the enemy running away with that scrawny, ugly, pointy little tail between his legs . . . straight to the land of no return!

Prayer

Father, sometimes we need to pray a Boomerang prayer and we thank You that You are there to listen to our cries for help.  Thank You for protecting us and for giving us the armor – the defenses – we need to continue our work for You.  Forgive us for the times when we forget and neglect to put it on and for wanting to quit when we are under attack.  Help us to remain strong and to make a habit of putting on your armor, every day, so that we can be fruitful for Your Glory.

Have a Blessed day everyone!

– Richard