From Among the Rubble

I made it to Nehemiah 2! The story just fascinates me. I love Nehemiah's dedication to rebuilding the walls, even though it looked impossible. He was faced with a huge chore, plus physical enemies who tried to talk him out of it and tried to discourage him on every side. 

In Nehemiah 2:14-18, it talks about Nehemiah surveying the walls. In one area, the rubble was piled such that even his donkey couldn't navigate through it. Donkeys are classic pack animals. They are some of the oldest domesticated animals used to transport goods. This was partly due to their ability to carry heavy loads across difficult terrain. Yet, the wall was in such disrepair that his donkey couldn't walk across it. That's some major destruction!

If I'm honest, and I usually am, there are times when I feel like my emotions are broken beyond repair. Emotions can be difficult to manage, and even harder to explain. But the difficulty of navigating heaps of rubble didn't stop Nehemiah. He was just looking around, not deciding whether or not he was going to proceed. His assessment didn't change his intention. 

I wonder if God does that with us sometimes. He surveys the terrain with the intention of rebuilding. His intention doesn't change. He is near the broken-hearted. There is no indication that God moves away when things look too tough. He won't look at the rubble of our lives and call off His plans. He just rolls up His sleeves, just like Nehemiah, and gets busy. 

He doesn't get discouraged or tired. He won't shake His head and wonder what to do, or if we are worth it. He even goes where the donkey can't go! lol He makes His way into the depths of our hearts and emotions and begins pouring in healing oil. And He does it time after time after time; day after day after day after long day. I love that about God.

Today, I'll remind myself that the broken areas of my life don't put Him off. In fact, they cause Him to move in closer. My meditations will be on how He wants to assess our broken areas. He wants to pour in the healing oil of His Holy Spirit. He will even sit there until they are healed or calmed. But the best part is He refuses to leave. He will not give up. He will sit with us in our "here" without considering moving without us. His presence in the midst of our brokenness and rubble is guaranteed! I believe I can trust Him with one more day. Will you join me?

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Are you ready for live Bible study classes? I'm ready to get them started back up. We'll be starting with the book of James. 

Classes start July 2 and go for 6 weeks (Thursday nights 7-8 pm (CST))

The physical book is included in the course. 

Get ready and get signed up! This is going to be fun! Sign up link.

 #bibestudy #devotionals #morningdevotions