The Passage: Nehemiah 4:22-23
The Point: Let’s rise to the challenge and finish the work!
Even in the face of intense opposition, Nehemiah and his men were driven by a sense of urgency. Every minute the wall wasn’t built was a minute that their people were in danger from an attack that could come at any moment. They came to the point that ordinary effort was not enough. It was time to dig deeper. They rose to the challenge and began to work day and night to get the task done. It was so important to them that they didn’t even go home. They worked by day and slept next to the wall all night, armed and ready to repel enemy attacks.
There comes a point in pursuing worthy visions that ordinary effort will not get it done. We should feel a sense of urgency, too. There are thousands of broken lives and families all around us. One way I’ve seen this is when I offer to pray for people I meet in the community. It’s an easy way to turn a conversation to a gospel conversation. Often when I offer to pray for someone they immediately begin to cry. Their hurt and brokenness is lurking just beneath the surface. I’ve prayed with people for sick relatives, for a sense of purpose, for a new start with God, and for healing from cancer. The need all around us is present and urgent. People need to know the grace and power of Jesus to forgive their sins and give them new hope and a new start.
This urgency calls us to dig deeper and rise in greater effort. We need more people reaching out to their neighbors. We need more gospel conversations. We need more engaged leaders in our church. We need more church planting residents to help us lead new congregations. We need more financial resources to help us establish a presence in every neighborhood in South Florida. Nehemiah and his men rose to the challenge, dug deeper, worked harder, and gave more ― and they completed the mission God gave them. Let’s do the same.
Processing:
- What objective are you pursuing that is worth more effort than you are giving?
Planning:
- Do you feel God calling you to dig deeper as we strive to reach South Florida? How so?
- In what ways can you specifically get involved in fulfilling our mission at Family Church?