WMCAS

A man once said this…”I like work. It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.”

When it comes to building our church, families, nation, there should be no spectators. We need workers. Last January I came for the first time. The building was new. The foundation of this church was set. The second year is dawning on us. We need to build the church. Nehemiah asked that he be sent back to build the wall again. He planned and carried out his work. He needed to mobilize each of his people for each section. Effective planning and managing is important. To do well we need to give thoughts to it. For if we fail to plan, we plan to fail. Everything we do in life, we should plan.

In Chapter 3, Nehemiah with his extraordinary planning skills began his work for God. He prayed and had faith. And he planned so that God’s work can be carried on.

We should be involved, not just stand by the side and do what spectators do. We need to build so that we can go out into the community and touch their lives. Our church, marriage, families, work place, nation need people to participate. But sadly some churches are built by a few people, some marriages are built by one. Marriages need two for it to work… in today’s world, most of the time the father is an absentee husband and father. All their energy is focused in their work. Divorce rates are climbing. Marriages are being destroyed by work. When the family unit is destroyed, the church will be weakened. Even churches are experiencing higher rates of divorce.

Families need the fathers to plan for the family. Nehemiah planned and carried out the work. He mobilized everyone and assigned them tasks. Each one was given a specific job to do. All the time the people found themselves working next to each other. Why did Nehemiah assigned them to work next to each other? Together, we will be a formidable force for encouragement, accountability will be there. And that will make it hard for Satan to break us.

Nehemiah was also wise. He assigned the people to work near to their homes so that when the enemies attack, they will defend their home. God has called us and assigned each of us a task.

Know our gifts and use it for God’s work. Whatever we do we should do our best for the glory of God. As Christians we are often put under the microscope. So our lives will have to show. There’s more scrutiny. Therefore we’ve to be zealous in our endeavours.

In Hebrew, the word repair means “make strong and firm”. It suggests that they are not doing a shoddy work, not slipshod. It suggests that people are doing their best all the time, even in private. In Nehemiah 3 , God used all kinds of people in the repair of the wall. Age, occupation, social standing; everyone is a soldier for God. There is no exception. But we must be committed to the same goal.

Leaders should set good example. In Nehemiah some did more work but there were also some who did not work. Yet there are those who worked zealously. It is also the same in the church setting. A reminder, at the foot of the cross everyone stands equal before the Lord. There is no exception. So no matter how high we are in the society, we need to be humble.

Point to ponder: When we meet God, what if God asks us whether we worked zealously for Him or for ourselves? What would our answer be?

Colossians 3:17 ; And whatever you do in word and deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

What we are missing is wise young believers and old zealous believers. How do our youths catch on? By seeing us. By, we being role models. When we are zealous for God, they will catch on because that is what they will see.

God remembers. Hebrews 6:10 ; God is not unjust, he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

God also remembers those who purposely seek to destroy His people, His work and His church.

So the challenge: Are you for or against God?

Principles of the Geese
They fly in a V shape formation. They fly thousands of miles. They always fly together. If they fly alone, they will not reach their destination. The geese in front will fly at high altitude and create an undercurrent, making it easier for those behind. They will take turns taking lead until they reach the destination. That’s what a church should be. The leaders need the support.

Even Mount Everest was not conquered on the strength of one man. There were 450 people in the expedition! At every level, less went up. By the time the push for the summit came, there were only 2 people. Yet the success of the two was not possible on their own. It was unselfish team work. The church needs to work together as such a team.