May the mumbling commence!
If we search ourselves and our church families and our communities and our Lord, we will eventually see what should have been so plain to see – God’s call for us in our time and place. It’s sort of like finally taking the time to look and be totally present to where we are at any given moment. We begin to see the beautiful world that surrounds us.
Just so, if we search diligently we will become aware – perhaps for the first time in our lives – the beautiful and pleasing and perfect will that our Creator has designed us for. The Lord Almighty has designed us for this time and place for a specific reason. There is a specific way we can glorify God and equip others.
When we have made this discovery together, we must celebrate… and plan… and anticipate obstacles that are sure to come once we align ourselves with the plan of God. We will need resilience because we will meet with resistance. There is nothing that gladdens the heart of Satan than to stop God’s people from doing what they were made to do. Read a passage from Nehemiah chapter four:
So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall."
Also our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work."
Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us."
Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."
When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work.
From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.
Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!" (Verses 6-20)
Anger and threats from without will surface when we follow God’s lead in our lives. Prayer and planning can thwart the attacks of the enemy.
If only that was the only threat!
Fear and division from within will soon surface. The people of Judah soon began to echo the words of the exterior resistance (Verse Two) – “There is too much rubble to rebuild the wall!” The people of Judah continued, “They will come and attack us when we least expect it. And the attacks will come where we are weakest. We will die. We will have nowhere to turn.”
Nehemiah responded with more detailed plans to protect the weakest points. He responded with a reminder. Don’t be afraid. That’s one of the most oft repeated commands of the Bible. Remember the Lord, great and awesome. Remember what God has called you to and fight to answer that call. And answer the call of your brothers and sisters. Come to the sound of the trumpet and join the fray – stand in the gap. God will fight for us.
There were threats from without and threats from within, but prayer and prayerful planning won out. Threats were met. Fears and divisions become unified fronts to crush any threats – real or imagined. God frustrates all the plans of Satan through visionary spiritual leaders like Nehemiah and Ezra.
Who are your Nehemiah’s and Ezra’s in your congregation? Identify them. Encourage them to pray for God’s vision. Pray for that vision with them. Listen to what your leaders are saying. Listen to God. Plan.
Satan will try to derail all godly efforts, but God will always frustrate Satan’s plans through our unity and love.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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