‘Rebuilding’ takes on new perspective

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Building something new is hard enough but rebuilding something can be even harder. If we are building something new it is a fresh vision and even though we know it will be a lot of hard work, we push forward because of the excitement of accomplishing the task. To rebuild something, it takes a whole new perspective. We must get past negative thoughts and not focus on what it is but what it could be.

There is a Home remodeling show called “Home Town.” Ben and Erin Napier are the main people in the show. They live in Laurel, Mississippi, and had a vision to start rebuilding homes in their hometown. They say they want to give their hometown a facelift. To make it a place that people are proud of. A place that people would desire to come live. They go into these old forgotten homes and can see something that no one else seems to see in them. Some of these homes are so bad that you might just think it would be easier to knock them down and start over again.

In the book of Nehemiah chapter 1 we see Nehemiah’s concern about the Jews that were in Jerusalem from the captivity. In Chapter 1 verse 3 it was reported to him (3.) “And they said unto me, the remnant that was left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates therefore are burned with fire.” The place of Nehemiah’s fathers was in bad shape. You see this was a huge deal. Jerusalem was the Jews holy city. It was the Capital of Judah. It represented Jewish national identity, and it was blessed with God’s special presence. God burdened Nehemiah’s heart to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls.

This must have looked like an impossible task. Nehemiah prayed and asked God to forgive the sins of the people of Jerusalem and his own. He asked God to make a way for him to go. God answered his prayer and the King that Nehemiah served as a cupbearer granted him permission to go and gave him letters for safety and any materials that he would need to rebuild the walls. When Nehemiah showed up, he evaluated the situation by going out and looking at the condition of the walls and gates with his own eyes. He seen that it was just as bad as the report said that it was. Nehemiah could have given up and went back but he knew the burden that God had laid on his heart. If that wasn’t enough, after rallying the people of Jerusalem together to start rebuilding they came up against people that tried to discourage them. Their enemies even plotted to attack them and tear the walls back down. We read in Nehemiah 6:15-16 That Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem rebuilt the wall in 52 days and all the people in the province knew it was by the hand of God.

You see we have all heard or have even been the ones to say things like “our schools are in bad shape,” “I can’t believe our government officials,” “what this Church needs …,” someone ought to do something. Complainers, Gripers and people that know how to do it better are all over the place. It is easy to scrutinize and talk about all the problems in the world. But what we need is people who will not just discuss the situation but who will do something about it. The spiritual walls of our schools, government, churches and society have been torn down. We need people who have a burden for the broken-down things to have the courage to move and do what God is asking you to do.

To see it from God’s perspective and trust Him to provide everything we need to rebuild the walls. It will be such a work that when others see it that they will know that it was only by the hand of our God that it was accomplished. Just like with Nehemiah and the Jewish people. If they would have focused on the whole thing, they may have been discouraged but each person focused on their part and did what God asked them to do.

It is time for you to start rebuilding your part of the wall. Is it your attitude, your addiction, your family? Is God asking you to start a ministry, follow in missions, go into the schools, be active in your church? Whatever He is asking it is time that you quit just talking about it and start doing something about it. You have been chosen for such a time as this. It is time to “REBUILD” what we have allowed to be torn down.

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By Pastor Chad Inman

Your pastor speaks

The writer is the pastor of Faith Baptist Church, Sidney.

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