Fight for Your Family

This morning I finished up Session 2 of Kelly Minter's Nehemiah.  It was a powerful lesson.  I never thought I'd enjoy reading about a man rebuilding a wall, but so far it's taught me lots...

That prayer changes things, and that it should always be our first resort.  I've always known this, yet I've struggled.  Something about the bossy older sister causes me to act on my own impulses, and want to fix things my way, which usually leads to me being horribly wrong and God coming to clean up my mess.

I've learned that God wants us to care for others.  Nehemiah cared passionately for those in Jerusalem.  He wanted them to be seen as graceful, not as a disgrace.  His heart broke for their situation.  My heart, too, breaks for certain situations... but in other situations it is cold.  And I was reminded tonight that one of the signs of the last day was hard-heartedness, men (and women) who were lovers of their self).  Lord, soften my heart and break it for what breaks yours.

God is a God of community.  His very purpose of creating us was for relationships. God wants us to work together.  Nehemiah didn't set out to build the wall by himself, which is just what I'd do. "You need some help, Lauren?"  Ummm, "Nah.  I got this, but thanks." And then I mutter and complain under my breath about how hard I'm working while everyone else is having a good time.  God wants us to help each other, encourage each other... pick each other up.  Everyone working on the part of the wall that was theirs, but working together. 

Which brings me to my main lesson. As they started rebuilding the wall, opposition arose.  People complained.  They came against them (anyone hearing this?  Ever felt like it was you against the world?  For them, it was... them against their neighbors.) But Nehemiah said words we should take to heart today,  "After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." Nehemiah 4:14, NIV. 

DO NOT BE AFRAID...  of those who come against you.  Of those who laugh at you.  Of those who lie about you. 
REMEMBER THE LORD... He's the One who created this planet we're spinning on.  He's the All-Sufficient, the Great I AM.  What's He's done in the past, He's going to do for us, too. 

He is great and awesome.  Who is like our God?

Fight for your family... fight against immorality, lies, deceit, Hell's gates opening up against you.  Satan is attacking our families.  Drug abuse.  Anger.  Jealousy.  Cold-heartedness.  Stress and worry and anxiety.  He's coming against our brothers, our sons and daughters, our husbands and wives.  But we don't have to just lay down.  Fight for them.  FIGHT FOR YOUR FAMILIES. 

And after he said that... they started working.  Be inspired, then go to work.  Praying.  Trusting God.  Celebrating community.  And always, always, fighting for what is right and good.  His grace will be sufficient... and I've cheated and read the end of this story.  WE WIN.