Sunday, 22 April 2007

Sunday School Class Proverbs 23:1 Okay, now we get down to the nitty-gritty of comparative sin: e.g. is alcoholism or drug abuse more of a sin than eating too much...

The joy of the Lord is my strength; Come Bless the Lord; I will bless thee O Lord; I will Bless the Lord; Bless the Lord, O my soul:

Scripture reading: #640

Sunday evening Vesper's 5-6 p.m. Matthew 8:28-34 demons, pigs, and religion...

Wednesday Study Class 7-8 p.m.  A new study

See the need; plan the work; share the task 

(Nehemiah 2&3) 2:1. In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; 2. so the king asked me, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart." I was very much afraid,

3. but I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?" 4. The king said to me, "What is it you want?"   Then I prayed to the God of heaven,

5. and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it." 6. Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, "How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?" It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.

Nehemiah 2:2 "...sadness of heart" requires a plan.

We frequently find ourselves with a 'sadness of heart' without really understanding why. It's easy to attribute it to 'being too busy' or 'just tired and needing to get away.' Sometimes we assume it has to do with 'pressures' of job, family and social obligations. Sometimes we just don't have a clue why we aren't 'happy.'

Verse four says that the king asked Nehemiah, "What is it that you want?"

This verse strikes me in a very profound way - 'What is it that I want?' Since my happiness really is dependent upon me, not on anyone else, what are my expectations that evidently are not being met?

If I don't know what they are, how can they ever be addressed? The emphasis has to be on "If 'I'..." in order for me to move into any possibility of fulfillment.

"What is it that you want?"

That fundamental question, "What is it that you want?" will determine the need.

From that can come the 'plan'

and then the 'sharing' of the work. Out of this involvement of others will generally come our sense of fulfillment as we see situations and needs being addressed.

Nehemiah stated the need, developed a plan and involved lots of people to do the work in small bits and pieces at a time. Each person involved took ownership of a small segment of the project. Each person was aware of the need. Each person shared in the satisfaction of seeing a need they held in common being met.

Nehemiah's joy was full. In Nehemiah 8:10 Nehemiah is quoted, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." 

In other words, 'you can now move past your sadness of heart and celebrate.' How hard is it to ‘move past your sadness of heart and celebrate’?

Let’s look at Ezra and Nehemiah here - they are seen together in this chapter. This is about 13 years after Ezra had arrived. Ezra had labored with the people once again rebuilding a wall. The Temple had been completed almost 60 years before Ezra arrived. About 130 years had gone by since Ezra’s great-great grandfather (the priest of the temple) was killed by Nebuchadnezzar when Solomon’s temple was destroyed.

While Ezra and the people were rebuilding the wall, it was authorized to be torn down by a new king back in Persia. When Nehemiah’s brother came from Jerusalem back to Persia with the news that all their labors with Ezra had been in vain, Nehemiah was distressed to the point of crying out to God.

It was then that the King asked why Nehemiah’s face was sad. The king who had ordered the wall destroyed was moved by his trusted cupbearer’s story and sent him to Jerusalem.

There Nehemiah, as the governor of Jerusalem, saw the work organized and completed. Then Ezra, 13 years after he was sent to be the teacher of the law, was able for the first time to gather the people together and read from the Holy Writings. What does that say about timing?

Certainly God’s timing isn’t the same as ours.

It said that when the people heard Ezra reading the Holy Writings they raised their hands and said, “Amen, amen!”

And Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." 

Rejoice! Enjoy choice food and sweet drinks! Send some to those who have nothing. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.