Work at Hand

Originally published on October 6, 2014

Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate.

They dedicated it and set its doors in place,

building as far as the Tower of the Hundred,

which they dedicated,

and as far as the Tower of Hananel.

The men of Jericho built the adjoining section,

and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them.

The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah.

They laid its beams 

and put its doors 

and bolts and bars in place.

Nehemiah 3:1-3

It was a team project.  Each group took responsibility for one section of the wall, repairing, rebuilding and reestablishing the structures and gates.  Instead of Nehemiah assigning sections to various work parties, respective families and people groups busied themselves with the area closest to them.  The rebuilding of Jerusalem was a beautiful picture of God's people working together to bring glory to Him.

Sometimes it seems I must go to some exotic, far away location to do impactful things for God's kingdom.  In reality, I can do as the people in Nehemiah's time did and busy myself with the work at hand.

See the Need.  The homeless beg for money.  The distraught search for relief.  The elderly wonder about their purpose in a lonely, isolated existence.  The driven pursue significance.  The hopeless look for a reason to carry on.  The world around me is a needy place.

When I ask God to open my eyes to see what breaks His heart, He will show me suffering.  Wherever the need is, that will be what God brings to my attention.  Either I can respond to the love of Jesus that swells up in me, letting His compassion move my feet to action, or I can turn away.  It's not necessary to start a ministry, find someone who has created a formal organization to address the needs, or be officially sent to fill the need.  I can simply join in where I see God at work.

If He opens my eyes to the mothers in my neighborhood who need support, I can offer to watch their children so they can have some time to themselves.  If God shows me how much my coworker suffers from depression, I can offer to introduce the hope found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and pray with her for deliverance.  If I'm suddenly aware of how lonely the forgotten segment of society is at the local nursing home, I can visit the sweet souls found there who crave meaningful connections with people who care.  There is no formal training, preparation or certification needed.  Instead, it only takes a willing heart.

To be used by God to impact the world for Christ, I can start where God shows me the need in my own community.

Do What I Can.  "Sometimes in life you start slow."  I heard the words spoken by a high school football player as he described their come-from-behind win and my heart was moved.I was struggling with feelings of failure and thoughts of doubt as I considered the small turnout for a Bible-study outreach I recently started.  As I listened to the godly wisdom coming from the mouth of a youngster, I realized the truth found there.  God's idea of success does not include the number of people involved.  Instead, He is concerned that I obey His calling on my life with wholehearted compliance.

Every ministry has to start somewhere.  So, I begin by doing what I can, letting God grow my faithful efforts to accomplish what He desires for His kingdom.  It doesn't have to complicated or endorsed by an official organization.  Instead, my response to God's calling just has to be sincere.  Wherever I see God at work, I can do what I can to be a part of what He is doing, walking through the door He opens, filling the need He highlights, or ministering to those He places close at hand.

To be used by God to impact the world for Christ, I can do what I can to join in where God is already working.

Lose the Expectations.  It doesn't always feel good.  Sometimes, it's downright grueling.  No one may even notice what I'm doing.  If I expect feelings of well-being, meaningful work, and some kind of recognition for my efforts, I will be disappointed as I labor with God in the mission field all around me.

In his first letter to the followers of Christ, Peter talked about the various areas I should pay attention to as the end draws near.  He concludes by encouraging God's people to use His gifts given to serve others (1 Peter 4:10-11).  

If I give my all with the understanding that it comes from Him in the first place, I will bring glory to Him.  If, however, I work in my own strength, trying hard to impress others with my dedication, find meaning for my life, or discover a sense of satisfaction, I will only end up seeking credit for myself.

To be used by God to impact the world for Christ, I can lose the expectation for any kind of selfish benefit and do it only for the glory of God.

It's easy to wait to serve with God because I think my efforts won't matter if it's not an organized mission or done in an exotic locale.  In reality, I can ask Him to open my eyes to the need all around me, joining in by doing what I can, and losing the grandiose expectations.  Then, I will impact the world for Christ as I busy myself with the work at hand.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can do everything I do, small or big, for the glory of God.

When do I wait for something better to come along instead of being faithful in the little things?

What do I reject doing because I think it's not enough to make a difference?