O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me.
So many are saying, “God will never rescue him!”

But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;
You are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain.
I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety,
for the Lord was watching over me. – Psalm 3:1-5

The book of Psalms is the place many of us go when we are struggling – when difficult times are upon us and we are wondering why God is allowing us to walk such a hard path. The Psalms remind us that God allows us to go through pain and experience problems so that we will long for His PRESENCE, recognize His PROVISION, and cry out for His PROTECTION. Over and over again you see this pattern in the poetry of the Psalms – this dance between man and God.

The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord,
do not abandon those who search for you. – Psalm 9:9-10

Difficult times come and our faith in God causes us to seek Him in the midst of the pain – where is God (PRESENCE), how is He going to help me (PROVISION) and am I going to survive this (PROTECTION)? We cry out “Lord, have mercy!” (9:13a) and He hears the hopes of the helps – He hears their cries and comforts them, bringing justice and faith to replace the fear (10:17-18).

Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!
Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.
But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me. – Psalm 13:3-6

Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge.
I said to the Lord, “You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you.”…
Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.
You guard all that is mine. [PROVISION]
The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!
I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me…
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your PRESENCE
and the pleasures of living with you forever. – Psalm 16:1-2,5-8,11

This dance of life is a partner dance – a dance rooted in relationship with God. We are not meant to struggle alone but to allow difficult times to bring us back to the dance floor where God hears our cries, knows every detail of our problems and stays by our side through it all. It is His PRESENCE that helps us find joy despite our circumstances.

I love you, Lord; you are my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
My God is my rock, in whom I find PROTECTION.
He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.
I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.
The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me.
The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path.
But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. – Psalm 18:1-6

For some their pain is physical and they are faced with a disease or injury that threatens their life. The same God is their Great Physician, listening to the cries of their heart and making the same promises – I will be with you (PRESENCE), I will be everything you need (PROVISION) and I will be your fortress (PROTECTION).

Perhaps you are thinking – I am not a good dancer. I avoid the dance floor because it is hard for me to submit to someone else’s lead. I can deal with my own problems without His PRESENCE, I have my own source of PROVISION and I do not need His PROTECTION. The psalmist declares his own testimony of letting go and allowing God to draw him out of the dark and into His light. We do not have to know what to do but simply allow God to take the lead, supporting us and keeping our feet from slipping – even in the most difficult of situations.

You light a lamp for me.
The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.
In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale a wall.
God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for PROTECTION.
For who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is a solid rock?
God arms me with strength [PROVISION] and makes my way perfect.
He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
You have given me your shield of victory.
Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great.
You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping. – Ps. 18:28-36

God is speaking. Can you hear Him? “Can I have this dance?” Will you trust Him and allow Him to take the lead? Will you let go of the pain and the problems and hold onto Him instead?

I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying,
for he speaks peace to his faithful people. – Psalm 85:8a

I wonder if God is speaking to me. I wonder if that is His voice. Have you ever had a similar experience or time when you wondered if you were hearing from God? Do we miss out on opportunities to hear God because we do not step out of our busy schedules to sit still and listen?

Get into the habit of saying, “Speak, Lord,” and life will become a romance. Every time circumstances press in on you, say “Speak, Lord,” and make time to listen. Chastening is more than means of discipline – it is meant to bring me to the point of saying, “Speak, Lord.” Think back to a time when God spoke to you. Do you remember what He said? … As we listen, our ears become more sensitive, and like Jesus, we will hear God all the time (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, January 30th).

Those words resonate with my heart’s desire to be close to God. Many times in my life I have been challenged to think of my relationship with God as any other relationship in my life. In order to draw closer to someone, we must spend time with them and communicate with them, both listening and speaking. This makes sense but the intimacy we have with God is so much deeper than any other relationship. I love how Oswald Chambers describes the life of listening to God as a romance. The more we listen, the more we will hear from God; the more we hear from God, the more sensitive we become to His voice and the more easily we recognize Him.

Last night at youth group, Charlotte More played a song while each of us took time to write in our journals. She urged us to listen for God this week. While we had this special time of entering into God’s presence, she played one of my favorite songs – The More I Seek You, written by Zach Neese and sang by Kari Jobe. The melody is in my head still this morning and the song is in my heart, desiring to recline on my Savior and hear His heartbeat.

The more I seek you, the more I find you.
The more I find you, the more I love you.

The more I seek you, the more I find you.
The more I find you, the more I love you.

Thank you, Lord, for loving me enough to draw me closer to You. I thank you for the experience of resting in Your presence and simply drinking from the cup of Your hand. Teach me to recline and trust You at all times, finding my hope in only You.

I wait quietly before God,
for my victory comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will never be shaken…

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
for my hope is in him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will not be shaken.
My victory and honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
O my people, trust in him at all times.
Pour out your heart to him,
for God is our refuge. – Psalm 62:1-2,5-8

And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”
And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” – 1 Samuel 3:10

Come, let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care.
If only you would listen to his voice today! – Psalm 95:6-7

Oh Holy God! I stay amazed.
You are so much more than words could ever say.
Oh Holy God! I pour out my praise
On the One who never ceases to amaze

These are lyrics to the song I Stay Amazed by Gateway Worship. Our God is so amazing but consider how easy it is for us to get so used to that idea that we stop celebrating it. We can easily get so used to the concept that our God is awesome that we don’t stop to really consider just how incredible He is. What if we were to stay amazed?!!

He is more than words can say, yet the Psalmist did a great job of putting the wonderful attributes of God into words. Let’s read the words of Psalm 40 this morning as if we were hearing these things for the first time. Let’s celebrate our wonderful God and stay amazed all day long!

I waited patiently for the LORD to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the LORD

But may all who search for you
be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation
repeatedly shout, “The LORD is great!” (Psalm 40:1-9, 11, 16).

But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God.
I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.
I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done.
I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people. – Ps. 52:8-9

But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, “God is great!” – Ps. 70:4

“God is so great – higher than the heavens, higher than the farthest stars.” – Job 22:12

Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!…
Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come into his courts.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
Let all the earth tremble before him. – Ps. 96:4a,8-9

Lord, we stand before you AMAZED! You are great and you are holy! Your wonderful deeds are too numerous to recite, your love beyond unfailing. Lord, we praise you for what you have done and we join our voices together to say we trust in your good name.

Sing a new song of praise to him…and sing with joy (Psalm 33:3). Today is a new day. This is a new week. It’s not just any other Tuesday morning. It’s a new day with new opportunities and a fresh chance to experience God in a new way!

Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves…Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! (Psalm 96:1-2,4a).

I attended the WINTER JAM tour last weekend with our youth group and enjoyed an incredible five hour concert with ten musicians or groups – some of whom were familiar and a few who I had never heard before. It was wonderful to be surrounded by 8500 people lifting up their voices in praise to God, raising up their hands in surrender to their King.

There were songs of commitment like this one from the Newsboys: “I wanna live with abandon. Give you all that I am. Every part of my heart Jesus I place in your hands. I wanna live with abandon.”

There were songs of struggle like this one from Plumb: “How many times have you heard me cry out ‘God please take this’? How many times have you given me strength to just keep breathing? Oh I need you. God I need you now.”

And there were songs of praise like this one from Colton Dixon: “You are the song, you are the song I’m singing. You are the air, you are the air I’m breathing. You are the hope, you are the hope I’m needing. Whoa. If I had not voice, if I had no tongue, I would dance for you like the rising sun. And when that day comes and I see your face, I will shout your endless, glorious grace..”

I love the songs of salvation where we share about that point of change in our life. What song do you sing because of the place God has saved you from and the wondrous place to which He has brought you? God wants us to continue to sing his praise about the salvation we have experienced. He wants us to share our salvation experience so that others can see that our God saves!

Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power! …Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy! (Psalm 98:1,4)

Sing a song of praise today for all of the wonderful things God has done in your life since you gave your heart to Him. From what has he delivered you? In what ways has he made a difference in your life? How has he shown Himself to you and in what ways has He been faithful?

I will sing a new song to you, O God!…Yes, joyful are those who live like this! Joyful indeed are those whose God is the Lord (Psalm 144:9a,15).

Let’s sing a song of joy to the Lord today. My prayer is that all those around us today will sense that we have been in the presence of God by the joy that we show. If God has saved us, if God has delivered us, if God has healed us, if God has done wonderful things in our life, let our joy be evident!

Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing his praise in the assembly of the faithful…Let the faithful rejoice that he honors them. Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds. Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands… (Psalm 149:1,5-6).

If you were going to write a song today, what would the lyrics be? Perhaps that is what God is calling you to do today – to write a song or a poem or a love note to Him. What does your new song say?

Sing a new song to the Lord! Sing his praises from the ends of the earth!…Let the people of Sela sing for joy; shout praises from the mountaintops! Let the whole world glorify the Lord; let it sing his praise (Isaiah 42:10,11b-12).

Sing a NEW song! What is God doing in your life now – today? What is your most recent story of God’s faithfulness? It is great when we can tell the stories of the wonderful things God has done in our life but how wonderful to share a new and fresh song of what God is DOING.

What will God do today? I eagerly anticipate to hear from God today or to see Him in action – to feel His presence and be filled with His Spirit. What NEW song will God give me today? Will it be a song of praise or a song of salvation, a song of struggle or a song of commitment? I sit in expectation as I wait for the show to begin.

Elihu speaks boldly to Job:
“Listen carefully to the thunder of God’s voice as it rolls from his mouth.
It rolls across the heavens, and his lightning flashes in every direction.
Then comes the roaring of the thunder – the tremendous voice of his majesty.
He does not restrain it when he speaks. God’s voice is glorious in the thunder.
WE CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE THE GREATNESS OF HIS POWER.

“We cannot look at the sun, for it shines brightly in the sky when the wind clears away the clouds.
So also, golden splendor comes from the mountain of God.
He is clothed in dazzling splendor.
WE CANNOT IMAGINE the power of the Almighty;
but even though he is just and righteous, he does not destroy us.
No wonder people fear him.
All who are wise show him reverence.” – Job 37:2-12,15-18,21-24

Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:
“Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?
Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell me, if you know so much.
Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line?
What supports its foundations and who laid its cornerstone as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted with joy?

Where does the light come from, and where does the darkness go?
Can you take each to its home?
Do you know how to get there?
But of course you know all this!
For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced! … (Job 38:1-13,16-21)

Then the Lord said to Job,
“Do you still want to argue with the Almighty?
You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers? …
Are you as strong as God? … (Job 40:1-2,9a)

Then Job replied to the Lord:
“I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you.
You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
It is I – and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me…
I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” – (Job 42: 1-2,6)

Wow, I wish I could say I have never argued with God. I wish I could claim I have never disagreed with God or questioned His decisions. Unfortunately, I am as guilty as Job. It was I who was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me.

This morning I recognize that YOU, Almighty God, are strong and powerful and wonderful. I listen to the strong winds blowing outside and I recognize your strength. I stay inside from the below zero temperature outside today and I recognize your control. I do not know what is best. I do not pretend to understand your greater plan. But I do trust you. I sit quietly and watch Your power at work – the power I cannot even fathom the depth of. You, Oh God, are holy and You, Oh God, are great!

“Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” (Job 2:10) Job’s friends seemed to have an understanding of Job’s sufferings as if it was simply Job’s turn. He had been blessed for years and now it was his turn to suffer hardships. It is as if they are asking – where is your faith and your confident words now that the shoe is on the other foot?

They mocked Job saying, “Your words have supported those who were failing; you encouraged those with shaky knees. But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart. You are terrified when it touches you. Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope?” – (Job 4:4-6)

Job had an attitude of – I can argue with God but what good will it do? He won’t listen. “So who am I that I should try to answer God or even reason with him? Even if I were right, I would have no defense. I could only plead for mercy. And even if I summoned him and he responded, I’m not sure he would listen to me. For he attacks me with a storm and repeatedly wounds me without cause. He will not let me catch my breath, but fills me instead with bitter sorrows. If it’s a question of strength, he’s the strong one. If it’s a matter of justice, who dares to summon him to court?” – (Job 9:14-19)

I agree with Elihu’s response to Job when he said, “But it is wrong to say God doesn’t listen, to say the Almighty isn’t concerned” (Job 35:13).

Job goes on to question God’s wisdom in even allowing him to be born if he was going to eventually let him suffer like this (Job 10:8-12,18-22). Job demonstrates an internal conflict between being in awe of the power of God and being disappointed with the wisdom of God. In one breath he is speaking of how great God is and in another breath he is questioning the motives and decisions of God. If Job was without sin before the hard times came, he is now demonstrating his human, sinful side by questioning the authority of God.

Job was downright angry with God. Many of us can relate to a moment in our lives where we questioned God by asking “Why?” In our grief, we experienced anger and we took our anger to God but there’s a difference between taking your anger to God and taking your anger out on God. I think this is where Job messes up. It’s not a sin that he is experiencing human emotions in the midst of his grief and pain, it is what he does with the emotion that trips him up. Job is arguing with God and criticizing God’s wisdom.

Are you currently questioning the wisdom of God regarding a situation in your life? Are you arguing with God? Are you angry with Him? Let’s look at some verses in Job to consider just how awesome and wise our God is – how worthy He is of our trust in even the most difficult times. Let us consider that God is greater than we can understand.

“Can you solve the mysteries of God?
Can you discover everything about the Almighty?
Such knowledge is higher than the heavens – and who are you?
It is deeper than the underworld – what do you know?
It is broader than the earth and wider than the sea?” – (Job 11:7-9)

“God stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing.
He wraps the rain in his thick clouds, and the clouds don’t burst with the weight.
He covers the face of the moon, shrouding it with clouds.
He created the horizon when he separated the waters; he set the boundary between day and night.
The foundations of heaven tremble; they shudder at his rebuke.
By his power the sea grew calm…
These are just the beginning of all that he does, merely a whisper of his power.
Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power?” – (Job 26:7-12,14)

“God alone understands the way to wisdom; he knows where it can be found, for he looks throughout the whole earth and sees everything under the heavens.
He decided how hard the winds should blow and how much rain should fall.
He made the laws for the rain and laid out a path for the lightning.
Then he saw wisdom and evaluated it thoroughly.
And this is what he says to all humanity:
‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’” – (Job 28:23-28)

“Look, God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like him?
No one can tell him what to do, or say to him, ‘You have done wrong.’
Instead, glorify his mighty works, singing songs of praise…
Look, God is greater than we can understand. His years cannot be counted.” – (Job 36:22-24,26)

God is greater than we can understand. Perhaps today the best thing to do is simply rest in the wisdom of God, submitting ourselves to His greatness and His authority in our lives. Perhaps today is not the day to try to understand, but instead try to trust.

There was once a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless – a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil (Job 1:1). This book starts out very much like a fairytale. We all know the story. Job was a righteous man who had been blessed abundantly by God. He had a large family, lots of servants and lots of animals. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area (1:3).

The higher you go the harder you fall. This saying would have rung true for Job. He lost it all when Satan challenged God regarding the faithfulness of Job. God allowed Satan to test Job by taking away his possessions and then by causing him physical pain through terrible boils from his head to foot. Job’s response shows the strength of his faith as he continued to praise God.

“I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave.
The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away.
Praise the name of the Lord!” – (1:21)

When his wife nagged him, encouraging him to curse God and die, Job’s response was one that I could learn a lot from: “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” – (2:10)

By reading through the book of Job, it is clear that Job is having a difficult time. He feels the pain and suffers from the loss just like anyone else would. He is surrounded by “friends” who are trying to give him advice through this time of suffering but seem to only be saying the wrong things. We’ve probably all been there – either we have been the one going through a hard time and had well-meaning friends say something that makes the pain worse OR we’ve been the one who has tried to comfort a friend only to end up saying the last thing they wanted to hear.

Job’s friends assume that Job is being punished for something and needs to repent in order for the hard times to end. Perhaps Job’s friends are slightly enjoying the fact that Job isn’t perfect – that something is finally going wrong for him. Jealousy is a powerful thing, even among friends, and it’s possible that the words of self-righteousness coming from Job’s friends are a result of past envy or attempts to measure up to Job.

Job’s friend, Bildad, makes a mistake commonly made today. He assumes that blessings that can be measured in earthly ways come to the righteous and the wicked can never prosper here on earth. “But if you pray to God and seek the favor of the Almighty, and if you are pure and live with integrity, he will surely rise up and restore your happy home. And though you started with little, you will end with much” (8:5-6).

Oh the prosperity gospel! We’ve all heard it and probably believed it to some degree. But, the fact remains that there are some incredibly righteous, godly Christians who live and die “dirt poor” in earthly terms. And there are some very ungodly, unbelieving, downright wicked people who have everything they could possibly ask for in regard to their position and possessions. This is not easy to understand but our response to what seems unfair in life should be to simply trust God and, as Job did, look forward to our heavenly rewards instead of measuring our earthly possessions.

“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last.
And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God!
I will see him for myself.
Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.
I am overwhelmed at the thought!” – (Job 19:25-27)

As with most fairytales, although this one is nonfiction, Job’s story has a happy ending. God steps in healing Job physically and restoring him with earthly possessions even greater than what he once had. And the great news for us today is that our story has a happy ending also! No matter what our current circumstances are, no matter how much we are suffering today, Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us in heaven where there will be no more sorrow, no more pain, no more loss. In the words of Job, “Praise the name of the Lord!” In the words of David:

I give you all the credit, GOD—
you got me out of that mess, you didn’t let my foes gloat.
GOD, my God, I yelled for help and you put me together.
GOD, you pulled me out of the grave,
gave me another chance at life when I was down-and-out.

You did it: you changed wild lament into whirling dance;
You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers.
I’m about to burst with song; I can’t keep quiet about you.
GOD, my God, I can’t thank you enough. (Psalm 30, The Message)

Today is a day of remembrance – a day we choose to never forget! January 22nd marks a time in the history of America when abortion was legalized. Women were given the freedom to end their pregnancies and those who were alive but not yet born were stripped of their right to life. The motives behind the legalization of abortion were not just about reproductive freedom, their motives included racial targeting. Still today the majority of abortion clinics are found in neighborhoods primarily made up of African-American and Hispanic families.

The book of Esther speaks of a similar day of remembrance in the lives of the Jewish people – the Festival of Purim. Just like there has been an attack on the unborn for the past 41 years, with evidence the attack is racially motivated, an attack was planned against the Jewish people living in the empire of King Xerxes because of similar racial hatred.

While a large number of God’s people had returned to Judah and Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple and the walls of the city, there were still a great number of Jews who had remained in what had once been Babylon. It is not explained why these Jews chose to not return to the Promised Land. Perhaps they had become comfortable in their new homes and chose to stay in the “known” instead of traveling the long distance back to the “unknown”.

We are probably all familiar with the story of Esther and the conspiracy of Haman to destroy all of the Jews in order to curb his appetite for the death of Esther’s cousin, Mordecai. Haman managed to convince the king that it was not in his best interest to let this race of people live. Lots were cast to determine the day in while the Jews could be annihilated. These lots were called “purim” and were similar to what we would think of as dice. This is where the Festival of Purim received its name – a time to remember when a day was set to destroy the Jews but to also celebrate how God instead rescued His people from their enemies.

I found several similarities between Esther’s role and Nehemiah’s role. Nehemiah was an exiled Jew living as a servant or slave to the king. His role as cupbearer became a blessing as Nehemiah was strategically positioned to be near the King to request a favor for his people. In the same way, the misfortune of Esther to be taken from her home and placed in the palace had become a blessing as she became queen and was strategically positioned to be near the King, giving her the opportunity to request protection for her people.

God intervened on Nehemiah’s behalf and the king noticed that he was distraught. God intervened on Esther’s behalf and the king noticed her standing in the inner court and he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her so that she could approach his throne.

Nehemiah saw a need, prayed for the need and then allowed himself to be part of the answer to that prayer. He allowed himself to be used by God. Esther saw a need, feared for her life and yet boldly stepped into the equation, allowing herself to become part of the solution.

Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made the queen for just such a time as this?”

Then Esther set this reply to Mordecai: “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in and see the king. If I must die, I must die.” – Esther 4:13-16

This, too, reminds me of Nehemiah. When faced with opposition while rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in order to protect God’s people, Nehemiah appointed half of the men to work on the wall while half stood armed with swords against the attack. For some laborers, they used one hand to support the load while the other hand held a weapon.

In the same way, God’s people lifted prayers on behalf of Esther while she worked on protecting or rescuing them. She put herself in harm’s way but not until she knew that her family and God’s people were lifting her up in prayer, calling on God to bless her efforts and use the position He had placed her in as an opportunity to reverse the decree and allow the Jewish people to live.

There are days and opportunities when God strategically positions us to be used by Him. There are also times in which God gives us the responsibility to pray for someone else. There may be times in which we feel sorry for ourselves wishing that we were not in a situation or place. Then what once seemed like an unfortunate coincidence becomes a God-placed miracle and we find ourselves strategically positioned to be used by Him.

Then what? Will we see our situation today as Esther did? Will we accept our calling “for such a time as this”? Perhaps our role today is to enter into the presence of our King, as Esther did. Perhaps it is our role today to stand with sword in hand and pray God’s protection on others. Perhaps God is calling you to do something about the issue of abortion. Either way, today is a special day. It is a day to remember that God has called us as His servants to be used however He desires. It is a day to be called into action. It is a day to remember and never forget!

Last year, I read the book by Bill Hybels – Just Walk Across the Room. In this book, he speaks of how important it is for us to take time to think through our story and be prepared to tell it as it fits into God’s greater story. What is your before and what is your after? What journey has God brought you on and how does that affect the way you live your life today?

Over and over again in the Old Testament, a prophet would gather the people of Israel together and review their story once more. This was often at a time of confession and repentance – a time of reentering a covenant with God. Nehemiah retells the story of God’s people in a beautiful way in chapter nine. Retelling the story reminded them of how wonderful and full of grace God is. It reminded them of where pride and stubborn hearts had led them in previous years – how God had forgiven them time and time again, providing for them and blessing them abundantly.

“May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise!
You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you.
You are the Lord God, who chose Abram and brought him from Ur of the Chaldeans and renamed him Abraham. When he had proved himself faithful, you made a covenant with him…And you have done what you promised, for you are always true to your word.

“You warned them to return to your Law, but they became proud and obstinate and disobeyed your commands…In your love, you were patient with them for many years…What a gracious and merciful God you are!… (Nehemiah 9:5-31).

Then God’s people said, “In view of all this, we are making a solemn promise and putting it in writing…” (9:38) They were recognizing that they deserved all of the punishment they had received and yet God had forgiven them over and over again. They were once more making a covenant with God – a covenant full of written promises to obey the Law of God and God’s commands.

If we were to write out our stories today, what would they say? My story would include several of the same elements of the prayer told in Nehemiah: praise to God, recognition of His generosity and blessings, confession of my own tendency to be prideful and stubborn, stories of God’s forgiveness and grace, testimony of God’s provision and second chances, and promises to put God first in my life. I never want to forget what God has done for me. I want to learn from my past mistakes in order to not repeat my errors but grow stronger in my walk.

What has God commanded me to do? Have I done it? I want to find time this week to read through old journals, reminding me of God’s instructions to me over the years. I want to read through old prayer requests and see how God has answered those prayers. May God’s faithfulness always be a reminder and a stimulant to the growth of my own faith. May time in His presence stimulate my spiritual growth much more than the caffeine in my morning coffee.

Today’s reading from My Utmost for His Highest: God is saying to His people, “You are not in love with Me now, but I remember a time when you were.” He says, “I remember…the love of your betrothal…” (Jeremiah 2:2). Am I as filled to overflowing with love for Jesus as I was in the beginning, when I went out of my way to prove my devotion to Him? Is that where I am now, or have I chosen man’s wisdom over true love for Him?…

In view of all this, I am making a solemn promise and putting it in writing…

Ezra and Nehemiah’s stories are quite similar. While Ezra was now in Jerusalem teaching the people and unifying them in repentance, Nehemiah was still back in Persia serving as the cupbearer to the king. When news arrived that the Jews in Jerusalem were experiencing opposition, he mourned on their behalf. The Temple had been rebuilt in the midst of the opposition but the walls of Jerusalem had been torn down and the gates had been burned. There would be no protection for the city without the walls. Nehemiah desired to go to Jerusalem to help the people rebuild the walls.

Nehemiah interceded for God’s people: “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you…O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me” (Nehemiah 1:5-6,11).

As we learn in the book of Esther, no one can approach the king of Persia with a request without first being invited into a conversation. Nehemiah would be in the presence of the king as his cupbearer but could not ask for permission to travel to Jerusalem without the king first speaking to him. But Nehemiah was a servant. An intervention of God was needed in order for Nehemiah to have the opportunity he wanted. God saw the desire of Nehemiah’s heart to serve his people and faithfully answered his prayer. The king noticed that Nehemiah’s had a heavy heart and asked him if he was troubled, giving Nehemiah the opportunity to ask for some time off to return to Jerusalem. Again, just like Ezra, the king granted his request generously because the gracious hand of God was on him (Nehemiah 2:8).

When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he inspected the condition of what was left of the walls. He went back to the Jewish leaders and said:
“You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king.
They replied at once, “Yes, that’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work (Nehemiah 2:17-18).

Now that’s leadership! Nehemiah sets a great example for us. He saw a need, prayed for the need and then allowed himself to be part of the answer to that prayer. That last part is where we sometimes miss out on an opportunity to be used by God. Nehemiah saw God’s movement, recognized that the gracious hand of God was on him and testified to the rest of his people of God’s faithfulness. His bold requests, his intercessory heart and his testimony of God’s grace are what gave the people courage and inspiration to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, starting with its walls.

Now things did not go easily as they rebuilt the walls. They faced opposition. The people would mock, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!” (Neh. 4:3) Their response was to pray but eventually they became discouraged. Day after day they heard the voice of defeat saying that it could not be done and they began to listen to that voice. “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves” (Neh. 4:10).

Nehemiah had to do the same thing that we have to do daily – he had to drown out the voice of defeat! “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for you brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!” – Neh. 4:14

After this, they changed their plan. While half the men worked, the other half would stand armed with swords against the attacks. Some of the laborers used one hand to support the load while the other hand held a weapon. They carried their weapons with them at all times!

We have the same weapon against the voice of defeat and opposition to God’s work – God has given us the same armor to protect ourselves and stand strong!

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere (Ephesians 6:10-18).

Father God, help us to be more like Ezra and Nehemiah – seeing a need and being willing to be part of the answer to that need. And when things get tough, when we face opposition, clothe us with your armor and give us the faith needed to drown out the voice of defeat. We love you, Lord. Amen.