Today I finally got around to a task that I meant to do almost two years ago. In November 2018, a group from Caroline went to Israel to visit the Holy Land. During the trip our collective group must have taken 10,000 pictures or more! In a millennial fit of getting tired of hearing everyone in the bus insisting that they all get everyone's pictures right that moment, and having to be one of the tech-savvy millennials everyone asked to troubleshoot their phones, I volunteered to buy a bunch of flash drives, aggregate everyone's pictures, then mail them out after the trip. In my defense, I did make good on my word; it simply took me a little while... like 18 months.
Reading on in Nehemiah chapter 3, I am reminded of this trip. Nehemiah describes all the gates and walls that our group saw. There was the Valley Gate, the Dung Gate (which we went through many times and the subject of many jokes), the Fountain Gate which goes through the City of David and the Pools of Siloam, and a dozen or so more structures that the Israelites had to rebuild following Nehemiah's inspection. What is interesting about this chapter is how Nehemiah outlines not only the structures, but also the people who conducted the work. We see individuals from different tribes and towns working together to rebuild the entire city to its former glory.
What a fitting image of what it takes to create something like a church. This is cliché, I know, but I want to throw a thought to the group... it doesn't take a large group to form a non-stock corporation with the commonwealth or to get 501(c)3 non-profit status. I could probably get all of that done on my own as could any of you. However, if any one of us went off and created our own little church, it wouldn't really be a "church"; it would be the passion project of an individual.
God created us as social creatures. In the garden, he said it was not good for man to be alone and created woman (probably my favorite decision of the creator God, if I'm being honest!). In the ministries of Christ, we see the metaphor of Christ being the tree and each of us being the branches. Further yet, we see Paul describing the church as a body with Christ at the head and each of us playing a part. Works of God truly take contributions of many individuals all serving specific roles as ordained by our creator. It is comforting to know we do not make this journey alone!
As we continue to move forward, let us remember that Rome was not built in a day and neither was Jerusalem. Nehemiah used the talents and gifts of many people over many years to accomplish his task. What we are starting here will involve the works and convictions of many individuals and I look forward to seeing what great works God will do through each of us!
DAILY PRAYER A Prayer for Cooperation and Union
Lord, help us to see our part in this great whole. Grant us the vision to see where we can help in the work you have started and the conviction to take action when you have opened a door. Help us to be supportive and compassionate of each other and to appreciate the contributions of those around us. With you as the head, and each of us a part of the body, we know you will do great things in the lives of those around us and throughout our community. In Your name we pray, Amen.
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