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The Chibi News Daily Reflection
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Hello, I am a Baptist pastor in the city of Sheffield. As we listen to the news, we are reminded constantly that we live in uncertain times
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There are daily accounts of trials and tribulations all over the nations
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In our own lives, many of us can face unprecedented times or what feels like big problems or huge tasks, leaving us feeling anxious and uncertain
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In the book of Nehemiah, in the Bible, we see an example of how we might respond individually
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Nehemiah faced a mammoth task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem at a time where there was much opposition, defeat and uncertainty
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He had some mountains to climb. He didn't rush straight into action
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We read in chapter 1 that he wept, fasted and prayed. And only after that did he begin to plan
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Prayer is not a passive delay to action, it is preparation for action
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Prayer aligns our heart with God's will. And when we pray and read the Bible God shapes our plans and adjusts our motives Nehemiah looked at what needed to be done and was realistic about the cost and the situation Rebuilding the walls wasn just a big idea it was a series of small
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practical steps, stone by stone, person by person. In Nehemiah's story, planning was an act of faith
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He trusted God enough to prepare well and to pray. We often want quick answers or instant results. We
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live in this uber culture. Yet not every plan will go to plan, or indeed perfectly. Nehemiah
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faced opposition, setbacks, and fear. But because he had prayed, planned, and committed this work to
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God, he kept on going. He had persistence. Importantly, Nehemiah also fully acknowledged
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where the plans of his people had gone wrong. They had made their plans and priorities away
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from those of God's, his plans and his purposes. And so he repented for this on behalf of his people
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Like Nehemiah, we are invited to turn back to God in repentance, to stop, to wait and indeed to pray
