| Subject: What is your reaction? |
Author:
Vicky
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Date Posted: 04:01:40 02/01/06 Wed
Good morning ladies! I wonder this morning what is your first reaction when you hear news that is distressing to your heart? The very first thought that enters your mind when something is hurting your heart...what is it? I'll tell you that often times my immediate reaction is to sit down and send a quick email, or to pick up the phone and commiserate with a girlfriend. Having said all of that I have moved this morning into the book of Nehemiah. I read through the first 7 chapters this morning.
Let's take a look at Nehemiah 1:1-4 together.
The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire." When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the GOD of heaven.
The first three verses give us a quick overview of what prompts this book. Nehemiah's brother has returned from Jerusalem to Babylon. Nehemiah asks about the state of his countrymen and what he hears is, indeed, distressing to his heart. Nehemiah is hurting because of the state of his native country. Let's look at verse 4 a little closer. When Nehemiah got the report from his brother he was deeply moved. The WORD tells us that he sat down and wept. My first thought as I write this is simply this: What is it in my life today that can move me to tears? This man was moved to tears because of the state of his native country. This grief is about more than a city ladies. It is truly about a spiritual heritage. So, Nehemiah stopped and wept over the state of Jerusalem. Ma'am keep looking at the verse. He did NOT stop WITH weeping over this city. His grief moved him into action. After the weeping we are told that Nehemiah acted. He mourned, he fasted, and he prayed. The mourning was a natural response to his grief. He fasted to get a hold of the heart of his GOD, and ladies, He prayed. He prayed a powerful prayer and asked the GOD of heaven to move on his behalf. What is my point, what is the point that I believe that the FATHER was making this morning to my heart? I'm glad you asked.
Ladies, there will be times in our lives when things distress us. Mark it down, this will happen in each and every one of our lives. What we do with this distress is entirely up to us. Nehemiah could have been distressed and just kept on doing what he was doing in Babylon without any action. We also have this as a choice of action for ourselves. We can choose to do NOTHING in the face of our pain and distress. This was NOT what he did though. He took a few days and felt the grief of the reality of his countrymen and then he stepped into action. Nehemiah took a few days and fasted. Yes, ladies, he denied himself the comfort of something in order to be totally in tune with the FATHER. While he was fasting he prayed. Ladies, he didn't pray a quick little prayer, "O GOD, help us." Nehemiah prayed a specific prayer and asked for the movement of the hand of GOD. Make no mistake this morning, Nehemiah got on his face before the GOD of heaven because of the distress in his life. And as we move through this book for the next little while we will see the actions that followed this prayer.
This morning I want to go back to my original question. What do YOU do when distress hits your heart and life? In recent days I have found myself whining and complaining instead of getting on my face before the FATHER. Before I ever opened to the book of Nehemiah this morning I asked the FATHER to move in my heart and show me what I need to see today. FATHER, what would you have me do in regard to the hurt in my heart right now?
Ladies, HE answered clearly. "Vicky, get on your face before me, deny yourself a little and ask ME to move as only I can. If its worth getting upset over then it is worth whatever it takes to lay a hold of heaven."
I leave you this morning with this thought: Nehemiah was in a place of position where he was in Babylon, but he was moved by the state of his people. I wonder if our hearts are moved by the spiritual condition of those around us. If not, we need to get on our faces and beg GOD to melt the ice around our hearts; and if we are hurting over those around us, then we need to get on our faces and ask ALMIGHTY GOD to do a work that ONLY HE could get credit for.
FATHER, move us! Make us aware of our shortcomings and cause us to realize that we need to spend more time on our faces before YOU. Bring us to the place where our immediate reaction to pain is prayer. Bring us to the place where we realize that NOTHING is outside of the realm of YOUR AWESOME POWER! FATHER, walk us through this book during these next days. Speak to our hearts and grow us as only you can. Teach us what you have for us from this book. Apply to our hearts individually. Thank you for allowing us to come to you. Thank you for calling us to be YOUR CHILDREN. Thank you for doing everything so that we could have a real relationship with you. YOU ARE SO GOOD! In the Matchless Name of JESUS I pray this prayer. AMEN!
ONLY and ALWAYS Because of JESUS-
Vicky
Psalm 119:10
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