There aren't many Christians in America who would disagree that we have some crumbling walls in our nation. Morally, there just isn't much left standing. Our nation's desire for freedom has caused us to both neglect the maintenance of God's walls of protection or to even tear them down.
As I was reading in Nehemiah last week, I couldn't help but be struck with how pertinent some of the points were in that time when the walls of Jerusalem were in disrepair with how our land needs some careful attention. This text has been used many times in this context and I am not a theologian, but I just wanted to share some things that would be unique to my vantage point.
My nearest vantage point has to do with my city, Defiance, and my home church. Faith Family Fellowship. My heart is stirred with how I see God raising repairmen for the walls. In Nehemiah, God has listed the names of many of the repairman and even the parts of the walls they were working on. Was that necessary for the meaning of the text? Not necessarily for me, but it shows me that these people were doing an important work! They focused on their part of the wall and did what they were called to do. We have some road construction going on in the main part of Defiance and even some construction work being done on our courthouse, but when I read articles about the work in the paper, I don't see anything like, "John Smith is working on laying the asphalt between such and such streets." or "Harry Eglemeier is applying the shingles on the south side of the courthouse roof." These construction workers are doing an important work, but it isn't anything like repairing God's city/kingdom.
The Bible says that the repairman of the walls looked around and saw that the work was great! this meant there was a lot to do!! Yet, they each had to not become overwhelmed or get distracted by what was undone elsewhere and just focus on what their assignment was in front of them. Our nation has need of great repairs! To look at the whole task can be greatly overwhelming! But, how is something like a wall repaired? One block at a time. Can we not take this back to our nation being repaired one family and one church at a time? Then the families can take it back to one person at a time?
Repairing the wall in our culture often means someone being light and truth. Upholding biblical principles. Being men and women of integrity and putting God's will first. Men being true husbands and fathers. Women being faithful mothers and wives. People who are uncompromising in keeping sin out of their lifestyles and who speak truth in love.
I remember when I was raising my four older children. I was homeschooling and we had a mini farm. It kept me busy, but I was still tempted to do other things. Money making opportuniites, charity work or church work, furthering my education, socializing. I did all of these things to a degree, but I kept having to reign myself in and remind myself what was important.....raising and training my children for the Lord. I couldn't fix the whole world. I couldn't take in all the foster children I wanted....and so on. This was my wall to build .....this was my donation to the repair of my country's walls. It seemed narrow minded at times and very limited in scope. In a way it was, but now I see how their influences are used in our countries and in other countries around the world.
Last Sunday, we had a beautiful missions church service followed by a baptism of five of our church members from ages 7-40 something. My heart was filled with thankfulness for how God was moving in our midst. We are a small congregation, but we are endeavoring to focus on the assignments that God has given us. This involves the training/raising of a good number of children/young people and it involves a passion for the world. Someone shared over the weekend that if we didn't have a passion for the world (the whole wall) then we won't have a passion for our own locale (family/neighbors).
Because of this body's faithfulness, there are wallbuilders being prepared and wallbuilders being sent out by the help and grace of the Lord. I will name some names. Norma Beck has a daughter repairing walls in Taiwan and Dick Beck has a daughter repairing walls in Paulding, OH with the youth. The McIntoshes have a son repairing walls in Fort Wayne, IN and a daughter ready to be sent to work for the Lord in Cincinnati and eventually overseas. They have a daughter repairing walls in the business world of Defiance, OH. There are 8 more yet to go out! The Grahams are preparing wallbuilders with one or two already having their sights on the mission field. The Jones have been assigned an especially deteriorated section of the wall and we have been amazed at the speed and beauty of repairs! God is going to send them out.
This small church supports pro life mission work, a work in China, Rev. Schultze's newsletter to several countries and has sent out their own missionary to Thailand already! Individuals support other mission works around the world. Most of us are involved ourselves in investing time and finance in the pro-life cause in America. We are a small congregation, but we are trying to focus on the children we have in our homes, the needs of families in our church, and trying to be a light in our community. Do we still need some help? Oh, yes, we really do. However, I'm encouraged with the focus and the foundational work that's being done. Because parents are focusing on raising their children well, they will be sent out with strength and purpose. Praise the Lord!
I guess this blog is an attempt to encourage each of us not to try to fight battles that aren't ours or to throw up our hands in despair, but to look at the task at hand and put our heart into our work and see what God does with the results! Think about it....what would happen if each family in our country focused on repairing it's walls and sending out properly equipped and prepared laborers for the harvest? Just one block....one child....one family....one day....at a time.
As I was reading in Nehemiah last week, I couldn't help but be struck with how pertinent some of the points were in that time when the walls of Jerusalem were in disrepair with how our land needs some careful attention. This text has been used many times in this context and I am not a theologian, but I just wanted to share some things that would be unique to my vantage point.
My nearest vantage point has to do with my city, Defiance, and my home church. Faith Family Fellowship. My heart is stirred with how I see God raising repairmen for the walls. In Nehemiah, God has listed the names of many of the repairman and even the parts of the walls they were working on. Was that necessary for the meaning of the text? Not necessarily for me, but it shows me that these people were doing an important work! They focused on their part of the wall and did what they were called to do. We have some road construction going on in the main part of Defiance and even some construction work being done on our courthouse, but when I read articles about the work in the paper, I don't see anything like, "John Smith is working on laying the asphalt between such and such streets." or "Harry Eglemeier is applying the shingles on the south side of the courthouse roof." These construction workers are doing an important work, but it isn't anything like repairing God's city/kingdom.
The Bible says that the repairman of the walls looked around and saw that the work was great! this meant there was a lot to do!! Yet, they each had to not become overwhelmed or get distracted by what was undone elsewhere and just focus on what their assignment was in front of them. Our nation has need of great repairs! To look at the whole task can be greatly overwhelming! But, how is something like a wall repaired? One block at a time. Can we not take this back to our nation being repaired one family and one church at a time? Then the families can take it back to one person at a time?
Repairing the wall in our culture often means someone being light and truth. Upholding biblical principles. Being men and women of integrity and putting God's will first. Men being true husbands and fathers. Women being faithful mothers and wives. People who are uncompromising in keeping sin out of their lifestyles and who speak truth in love.
I remember when I was raising my four older children. I was homeschooling and we had a mini farm. It kept me busy, but I was still tempted to do other things. Money making opportuniites, charity work or church work, furthering my education, socializing. I did all of these things to a degree, but I kept having to reign myself in and remind myself what was important.....raising and training my children for the Lord. I couldn't fix the whole world. I couldn't take in all the foster children I wanted....and so on. This was my wall to build .....this was my donation to the repair of my country's walls. It seemed narrow minded at times and very limited in scope. In a way it was, but now I see how their influences are used in our countries and in other countries around the world.
Last Sunday, we had a beautiful missions church service followed by a baptism of five of our church members from ages 7-40 something. My heart was filled with thankfulness for how God was moving in our midst. We are a small congregation, but we are endeavoring to focus on the assignments that God has given us. This involves the training/raising of a good number of children/young people and it involves a passion for the world. Someone shared over the weekend that if we didn't have a passion for the world (the whole wall) then we won't have a passion for our own locale (family/neighbors).
Because of this body's faithfulness, there are wallbuilders being prepared and wallbuilders being sent out by the help and grace of the Lord. I will name some names. Norma Beck has a daughter repairing walls in Taiwan and Dick Beck has a daughter repairing walls in Paulding, OH with the youth. The McIntoshes have a son repairing walls in Fort Wayne, IN and a daughter ready to be sent to work for the Lord in Cincinnati and eventually overseas. They have a daughter repairing walls in the business world of Defiance, OH. There are 8 more yet to go out! The Grahams are preparing wallbuilders with one or two already having their sights on the mission field. The Jones have been assigned an especially deteriorated section of the wall and we have been amazed at the speed and beauty of repairs! God is going to send them out.
This small church supports pro life mission work, a work in China, Rev. Schultze's newsletter to several countries and has sent out their own missionary to Thailand already! Individuals support other mission works around the world. Most of us are involved ourselves in investing time and finance in the pro-life cause in America. We are a small congregation, but we are trying to focus on the children we have in our homes, the needs of families in our church, and trying to be a light in our community. Do we still need some help? Oh, yes, we really do. However, I'm encouraged with the focus and the foundational work that's being done. Because parents are focusing on raising their children well, they will be sent out with strength and purpose. Praise the Lord!
I guess this blog is an attempt to encourage each of us not to try to fight battles that aren't ours or to throw up our hands in despair, but to look at the task at hand and put our heart into our work and see what God does with the results! Think about it....what would happen if each family in our country focused on repairing it's walls and sending out properly equipped and prepared laborers for the harvest? Just one block....one child....one family....one day....at a time.
