GIVE US A HEART FOR THIS WORK

I know, I know...I'm back so soon.  Well, the Lord has me alert and listening.  Maybe it's a change in me; maybe it's a change in the world.Yesterday's journaling got stuck in my brain, so here I am; back again!

I journaled on Nehemiah 4:6 which read: "We kept at it, repairing and rebuilding the wall.  The whole wall was soon joined together and halfway to its intended height because the people had a heart for the work."

The builders of the wall  came from many sources with one thing in common--they each wanted to help rebuild the wall of Jerusalem because they loved God and God was supporting their work.What kind of people were they? The high priest worked with his fellow priests, the men of Jerico, and families who lived in Jerusalem each worked on the walls in front of their homes.  Goldsmiths, perfumers, mayors of the various districts, sons of other importnt men, and the Temple support staff, plus merchants of all kinds all, willingly worked together to restore their city just as God had requested of Nehemiah.

You might wonder what kind of wall could we have in this day when there are few walls around cities, and what cities might need to be built up.  I suppose there might be real cities that do need rebuilding, but, in my opinion, there are walls that do need re-building of a totally different nature.

I recently read in the Arizona Republic that the percentage of Godly believers has radically fallen, and those who may believe in God but do not go to church has sharply risen.  I believe that such a time as this is worthy of investigating by prayer if the Walls of Faith are falling down.  Without churches can our faith in God stand the tests our world may extend to us?  Can isolated study and prayer by individuals take the place of the church where we work, praise God, and study together?

When I was a young woman I hungered for the church and the church body.  Not raised in the church, I wanted to know the peace of God, the joy of fellowship.  I wanted to learn about Him with others.The church ain't perfect, but then, neither am I!  And where better to learn forgiveness than with other imperfect cusses like me!

This task that I propose we do together, this wall that's falling down, this breach in our faith journeys- can't we join together and breach this gap?  Maybe it's time to increase our desire to think of others.  Think of the lady down the street who is a widow and has no one to go to church with. How is her faith life without support?  Or the kids down the block that might be friendly toward an invitation to Sunday School. How will they learn about a loving Father? Or the man at the coffee shop who always sits alone--could he like the company of your small group? Or the woman with a doctor appointment and no car; does she know she is not forgotten?

I'm guilty, guiltier than all of you.  I have the time to go to the lonesome lady, the wistful kids, the old and the weak. I need to hustle and pull my britches up, stimulate my get up and go, and pray like mad that God would erase my selfishness and double my faith so that I might fill my heart with the infectious Spirit that only God can give. I want a heart for this work.

Help us, Oh Lord, to clear away the debris in the world by starting with our own hearts and giving us a HUGE desire to build up the faith of this nation, FAITH IN YOU AND YOUR LOVINGKINDNESS.

I appeal to all who read this to spread the word.  God wants us to build us a wall of faith in Him.

(And I thank you, Lord, for giving me the courage to blog this message.)

jo