Nehemiah 6:15 – So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.
Today is Building Fund Sunday, the third Sunday of the month. I think of Nehemiah and the impossible task that lay before him. Jerusalem was in ruins. The walls were completely destroyed and the gates were unhinged and burned. Nehemiah, as you may recall, got permission from King Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem to make it inhabitable again.
While Nehemiah was trying to rebuild the city, his enemies constantly tried to stop him. He armed his workers with swords and spears in the event a battle ensued. Imagine placing stones and mortar while keeping an eye open for the attack of the enemy.
Today, we have monumental task of expanding our building here. I don’t see it as a project to expand our building footprint, but as a bastion against the kingdom of darkness. By teaching children about Jesus and his Love, we are building for a brighter tomorrow. We are putting up that wall against darkness, sin and hatred. We are equipping them to be the future leaders and missionaries that will bring others into God’s Kingdom.
About 20 years ago, I served in the nursery and toddler room. During that time, I didn’t appreciate the magnitude of that service. Today, four of the twelve children I watch and taught then are serving in the ministry to their generation. Twenty years ago, I built unseen walls against the kingdom of darkness. Today, we need to expand our physical walls to equip more children with the Gospel of Jesus Christ so twenty years henceforth, we will continue to buttress against the attacks of unbelief, hatred, fear and ungodly things.
Enemies are constantly throwing rocks and attacking us. We may be hit with doubts or sickness or busy-ness or whatever. We may be distracted by the many things that capture our attention. As Nehemiah constantly reminded his workers, we are doing this to the glory of God and not for us. We need to prepare the future generations.
The vision is set before you. Will you join me in providing the facility to raise up our future, Godly leaders?
#offeringthoughts
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