 | Prepare Yourself "So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work." (Nehemiah 4:6) |
To succeed, Nehemiah needed favor with his boss, the king. So he prayed that this heathen potentate would finance the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. It was a bold prayer, and it wasn't answered overnight. But Nehemiah didn't sit around waiting. In the meantime he put together a plan, assembled a team, and scheduled a date to begin the work. That way when the king said yes, he was ready to move. Some folks think if God's going to do something, why should we do anything? Then there are those who think they don't need God at all, so they try to do it on their own. But both extremes are wrong. Sometimes God has to balance what He's doing in your life with what He's doing in somebody else's life, so that "all things work together for good" (Romans 8:28). In Nehemiah's case, waiting for a letter of authorization from the king and funding for the project was like waiting for a government grant—it can take a while. But the Bible says, "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will." (Proverbs 21:1). Nehemiah exercised bold confidence in God's willingness to pro-vide. He also understood that while he was waiting, it was his responsibility to prepare and set things in place so that when God gave him the green light he was ready to move. He exercised faith—and wisdom. He knew he couldn't do God's pad, and that God wouldn't do his part. So the word for you today is: "Prepare yourself!"
| Promise: "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5) Reflection: Here lies the believer's assurance that the light of God will permeate even this dark world. Even more, God is that very light! The believer ought hold this truth tightly: despite the most tumultuous circumstance, not all is dark, lost, or evil! |  |
 | Week #32 Schedule for reading the Bible This schedule will take the Bible student through the Bible in one year. Just click on the text to read and get started today. Sunday: (Law) Leviticus 22-24 Monday: (History) 2 Kings 21-25 Tuesday: (Psalms) Psalms 90-92 Wednesday: (Poetry) Proverbs 14-15 Thursday: (Prophecy) Ezekiel 43-48 Friday: (Gospels) John 1-2 Saturday: (Letters) 1 Thessalonians 4-5 |