Rebuilding

Ten of us are traveling to Almaty, Kazakhstan at the end of this month. While there, we will conduct a youth retreat campout in the mountains outside of town. They have asked us to prepare four lessons from Ezra and Nehemiah. The working title for the series is "Rebuilding the Walls of Faith."

Toward the end of the book of Nehemiah, the priest Ezra reads the law to the people, and they weep when they realize how they have failed to keep God's commands.

Have you ever been in that spot? I have.

From time to time, God reveals to me -- often in technicolor -- where I have failed in an area of life where I thought I was doing well. When that happens, it breaks my heart (which is a right response!) It is easy, however, for me to become ashamed and embarassed. At that point, it's easy to start beating up on ourselves, and that's when Satan will whisper, "You just aren't good enough. You might as well quit trying."

But God's whisper to me is very different: "I have a plan for you, a plan prosper you, to give you hope."(Jeremiah 29:12) "There is no condemnation." (Romans 8:1) God's message to us is good news. A message of healing and power. A message of blessing and joy.

That's why Nehemiah tells the people who are weeping, "Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10)

Like them, I have an invitation to move forward with renewed purpose and dedication. I can offer my life as a living sacrifice because of the joy of salvation and forgiveness and God's generous love.