Saturday started out a lot better than where Friday ended. The sun was bright, the clouds were wispy white, and I was going to meet Vanguard leader Mike High and his son Kevin at a First Watch restaurant in Phoenix followed by what looked like a positive chance of actually seeing a baseball game afterwards.

Breakfast is my favorite meal out and the First Watch does it better than anybody. A First Watch breakfast runs a very close second to an Angel spring training game as a reason to come to Phoenix in March. I would actually give serious thought to driving out here just for that. So I was driving to a First Watch to meet Mike and Kevin — a trifecta if I ever heard one.

Many of you already know of Mike High, a former Air Force fighter pilot who now invests in homes that house people who are serious about recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. His son, Kevin, manages three of these houses and is doing a magnificent job at it. He has also become our Millennial “informant” who helps us understand how Millennials think and feel. It was especially valuable and practical meeting him and hearing from him.

Now First Watch should make you think of something else. Come on now. You guessed it — Nehemiah and the wall. Sanballat, Tobias and Greshem, the three stooges that made life miserable for Nehemiah had started with mocking: “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing?” or “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!” (4:2-3) But when Nehemiah and his workers paid them no mind, their mockery turned to taunting them with threats of attack. Which forced Nehemiah and the people to set up round-the-clock watches. Someone had to have the first watch, and everyone had to work with a weapon at hand.

Remember these were priests, Levites, goldsmiths, manufacturers of perfume, merchants … they weren’t builders, nor were they soldiers, but they did the work of both. This reminds me of us. Whatever else we are doing, we are builders and we are soldiers, always prepared for spiritual warfare. Our battles will never be over in this life. That’s why we are always being reminded in scripture to watch and pray at all times. In fact, our enemy is famous for attacking (like a roaring lion) when we least expect it.

That’s why we need each other and we need to be on guard. Never drop your guard. That’s why becoming a MemberPartner is an excellent way to keep you on your watch. So join us. Help us build towards our vision of introducing the gospel of welcome — grace turned outward — to everyone everywhere, and help yourself by strengthening your guard and becoming a MemberPartner. Who’s got the first watch?

(By the way, the Angels lost the game that day by the score of 4-3 to the Chicago Cubs. It was a fun game, though. When it was over, the Angels had the tying run on third base in the bottom of the ninth with two outs … but mighty Casey struck out.)