Friday, July 22, 2011

Out of the ashes...


"Let us Rise and Build."
-Nehemiah 2:18

~~O~~

This requisition was enough to change the course of a country's fate, to swing the momentum and motivate God's people to rebuild what had been burned, to repair what had been broken, and most importantly to move them

Out of despair,
Out of despondency,

Into New Hope
and Possibility...

Our lives are also construction sites,
Always in flux

Sometimes we too go through seasons of demolition--
Perhaps the structure outlived its usefulness,
Or was no longer safe to dwell in...

...But God doesn't leave us among the ruins.

Yes, there is loss,

Yes, there is a time to grieve what was...

But there is also a time to Rise and Build.

And just as Nehemiah did,
for the displaced and disoriented victims of the diaspora,
So Jesus does for us:

He dons a hard hat,
Lifts us up,
out of the ashes of what was,
then turns our face to the new thing that will be.
He fills our heads with vision,
our hands with purpose,
and our hearts with courage;

and with that deceptively simple directive,
He lays the foundation for Brand New Day:

"Let us Rise and Build." 

~~O~~

"Awake, awake!  Put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city!  Shake yourself from the dust; Arise!"

3 comments:

Nancy said...

Oh I love "rise and let us rebuild".......God is always faithful to continue the work He has started.......and my how we are blessed......

Yes, we all go through pain on the potter's wheel but thank goodness He takes us off and gives us the grace we need for each day....

Bless you sweet girl.....

Anonymous said...

truely amazing....does our shepherd
seem to have us on similar tracks
or what!
I love this and feel it to my bones;
I'm just simple enough
to believe we're in good hands
and that the best is just
around the bend:)
Loving and lifting you,
Jen

Mary said...

i have some rebuilding to do...i have been afraid to rise...

thank you for this!

xxoo