PRAY: God, connect with me here, as I seek you in your Word.

READ:  Nehemiah 2:16-18

16None of the city officials knew what I had in mind. And I had not even told any of the Jews--not the priests, the leaders, the officials, or any other Jews who would be helping in the work. 17But when I got back, I said to them, "Jerusalem is truly in a mess! The gates have been torn down and burned, and everything is in ruins. We must rebuild the city wall so that we can again take pride in our city." 

18Then I told them how kind God had been and what the king had said. Immediately, they replied, "Let's start building now!" So they got everything ready. Read More

It’s amazing what prayer set in motion in the life of Nehemiah.  Like the iconic leader Martin Luther King Jr., Nehemiah had a dream—that of seeing his beloved city Jerusalem restored, fortified, and secure. It was the place where God had chosen to dwell. The fact that the wall and gates of this once great city were in disrepair, was a disgrace to Nehemiah’s God. It had caused the enemies of the Jewish people to mock them. Nehemiah had a plan and there was no question that he believed it would succeed.  “We must rebuild the city wall so that we can again take pride in our city,” he asserted.  There was no wavering in his tone. As he unfolded the plan he had kept secret, he credits God’s favor and the king’s benevolence for his success thus far. No wonder he got a unanimous vote of confidence.

We cannot be double-minded in our approach. Success comes when we commit our plans to God and join our heart and hands together. 

REFLECT:

What dreams lie in their infancy within you?  Can you be patient enough to hold them secret until it’s time for them to be birthed? How can you tell when it is the right time to unveil your plans?

RESPOND:

Consider the senior citizens in your midst. They sometimes procrastinate because of memory lapses or because they have difficulty understanding.  Find a social service agency employee who would be willing to explain how various senior programs work, and who would help senior adults become enrolled, engaged and looked after. 

Lord, sometimes it seems I am too busy to stop and help someone in need.  Slow me down, Lord. Let me not procrastinate, but do it now!