Everywhere I look I see problems with no solutions. I see problems in the world, in our nation, in our town, in our church…and I don’t see the goodness of God. I feel the weight of the world and I get tired because it seems that it’s up to me to carry that weight and solve these problems. I sense that at any time I will collapse under the weight and what will be left is nothing but the carnage of someone who has given up. Living like this makes it difficult to function normally – whatever normal is.

Why do I feel this way? I feel this way because I choose to feel this way, and this choice is about what is BIG in my life and what is small. When I see problems and people as BIG then I’ve made the choice that God is small. When I fear what people can do more than I sense what God can do then I’ve made the choice that people are greater than God. And that’s a sinful choice.

During the last couple of days I’ve read through Nehemiah; this was a very opportune devotional time for me. Nehemiah faced some huge problems: exiled to a foreign country, his hometown, Jerusalem, was in shambles, God had put an impossible mission in his heart that he refused to share with anybody, all kinds of opposition to the mission, and a seemingly unachievable building project. How was he going to convince the king of a foreign power to let him go do what God wanted him to do? How was he going to pay for it? How was he going to overcome the opposition? How was he going to rally the Israelites to resurrect an old dream? He had questions, lots of questions.

Over and over again I see Nehemiah refocusing on the greatness and majesty of God. At one point when the surrounding powers were upset and resisting the rebuilding of the walls around Jerusalem, Nehemiah stood up and reminded his rag-tag team of non-union construction workers:

“Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” (Nehemiah 4:14)

Remember the Lord! Oh, how often I forget in the middle of feeling overwhelmed that God is greater than everything! In the midst of people dying, overseas terrorist coming closer to home, earthquakes, floods and wildfires taking place everyday in America, people complaining, time running short, more appointments than can fit on my calendar, emergencies, and supper getting colder, I’m trying to remember that God is a majestically great God.

Maybe I’ll just stay in Nehemiah for a while!

Grace & Peace,