Individuals
If you are a keen watcher of “Eggheads”, as I am, you will know it is very uncomfortable for a single challenger to face all five of the regulars in the final round. To have another member of the team for consultation and moral support feels much safer, even if they have no idea of the answers either; there is safety in numbers. I suspect that is why I am having a tough time at work this week, without a Practice Manager and with my closest colleague on holiday, I am unsupported and, although quite capable of working without supervision, I have no one (other than remote and busy GPs) to agree my decisions and approve my actions.
As individuals we often feel we cannot make any difference when it comes to the state of the nations today and the need to spread the Word of God. We may think we see the problem but we doubt ourselves and wonder if we have understood properly. Yet the one person who, spurred on by the Holy Spirit, suddenly looks around them and sees that things have changed can be the motivator. As if coming out of hibernation, they realise there have been subtle changes which have been allowed, unchallenged, to become the norm.
Nehemiah was one such man. He was nothing special just cup bearer to the king but he suddenly felt he should ask passing travellers how things were in Jerusalem and the answer was to change his life. When he discovered that the city was still in ruins and the people exiled he knew he had to do something but he did not know what. He made a sensible decision, he asked God. For days he prayed and fasted (Neh. 1:4-10), he interceded for his fellow men; he begged forgiveness for not only his sins but also those of his ancestors. Then the Spirit told him to act and he set about rousing the people to defend the city from marauders and rebuild the walls, carrying a sword in one hand and builder’s tools in the other (Neh. 4:17).
When we look around us now and see what is happening in the world we can despair or we can spend time praying and asking for God’s guidance. When He speaks we have to listen and act, not decide whether He is right or wrong, and tell Him what He really means. It was God’s Word that spoke everything into life (Gen. 1) and His Word that became flesh and saved us (John 1). There is nothing that God does not know about the past, present or future. He has warned that we will suffer much before the end (Matt.24:9). There is undoubtedly worse to come (Matt. 24) but this is not an excuse for us to sit back and say we cannot have any effect. Our instruction is to go out and make disciples (Matt.28:19) whatever the cost to ourselves. If we step out in faith God will be with us and will show us the way, faith in God’s Word is the key.
