By Rusty Stowe - Senior Adult Minister
On Wednesday evenings, we just concluded talking about what it means to be “Like Jesus.” We talked about having a heart like Him, ears like Him and eyes like Him. We need to care for people like He did and we need to hear the things He wants us to hear and we need to have eyes like Him to see what He wants us to see. There are those times when Jesus wants us to wait on Him as He reveals His perfect plan for us. This is true for us as individuals and it is true for us as a church. Sometimes we refer to this as “catching a vision for the future.” There are those times when a vision does not necessarily require immediate action. So what are we supposed to do while we are waiting to see what God wants us to do next?
Nehemiah found himself in this situation. He heard about the condition of Jerusalem, he knew there was nothing he could physically do to remedy the situation. It seemed as if he was in the wrong place, with the wrong people, working at the wrong job. However, Nehemiah was not inactive. The four months between hearing about the condition of the walls and finally being able to do something about it, Nehemiah did two things. He PRAYED and he PLANNED. Remember, PRAYER keeps us looking. It keeps our eyes and our hearts in the “expectant mode.” When God begins to move, we are only going to see it if we are ready and watching. Nehemiah did not pray for God to rebuild the wall, he prayed for the “opportunity” to go and rebuild it himself. Nehemiah was a “visionary”. A “dreamer” dreams about things being different. “Visionaries” envision themselves making a difference. A “dreamer” only thinks about how nice things will be, while a “visionary” looks for opportunities to do something. How do you see yourself?
The second thing Nehemiah did was he PLANNED. He thought about what he needed to do to accomplish this vision. We are in an amazing time for our church as we are pressing on with a remodeling job in our sanctuary, searching for a new worship leader and waiting to see whom God has prepared to come and join our staff, our lead pastor. Times are exciting! But these times can be stressful. Let me encourage you to examine what Nehemiah had to deal with in the Old Testament book that bears his name. Read chapter 1, verses 1 through 18 and see how he went about following his vision of doing what God had for him to do.
Even though it may be difficult for us to see where God is leading us, it is imperative that we trust Him to lead the way! Right now, none of this may make sense to you, but rest assured that God is working behind the scenes to position everything we need to accomplish what He wants for our future.
God ALWAYS knows HOW, WHERE and WHEN He is going to do a marvelous work in our lives. We are to wait patiently on Him and to stay busy with the work that needs to be done. How do you see Jesus working in our lives today?
Have a blessed week!