Celebrating Progress

The Rise Up campaign has taken us on a journey.  I have certainly been challenged along the way to change my thinking and my habits.  I have been pushed to go farther and dig deeper.  It’s time out for surface Christianity.  If we have been attentive over the last eleven weeks, we have reason to celebrate our progress.  The children of Israel have a reason to celebrate as well.  It is sermon recap time.

Nehemiah 12 sets the scene for the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem.  Although the work on the wall was finished by the time chapter 7 begins, they still had not had a dedication ceremony.  Why such a long wait?  Shoot, people will start planning a housewarming party before they ever close on a home.  We plan weddings in our heads the first time our boo says they love us.  We love to celebrate.  But the children of Israel had learned a valuable lesson.  After having walls that lay in ruins and a tarnished reputation, they learned to prioritize.  They showed us what true progress looked like.

Before planning a dedication, they made it a priority to practice holy living.  The walls are standing, and they are beautiful.  But they are an outward reflection of an inner strength.  A strength that you do not develop by saying the right things in the right settings.  No, this strength comes from an inward conviction.  And the children of Israel made sure that they were living lives that pleased God before they put together a committee to celebrate the rebuilding of the walls.  They dedicated themselves to the work of the Lord.  They spent time listening to His word.  They prayed and praised.  Gone were the days of just talking about holy living.  They had progressed to the point that they were living holy.  Were they perfect?  No.  And neither are we, but we must make it a priority to practice what we preach and what we hear preached.

They also made joyful living a priority.  Nothing ruffles my feathers more than a saint that is always unsatisfied and sour.  We speak of the goodness of the Lord so our countenance should match what we say.  Of course, every day is not all rainbows and puppies.  But when you serve the true and living God, others should see His light reflected in your attitude, your speech, and the way that you treat people.  The children of Israel’s joy was contagious and could not be contained.  Other nations could hear them praising God without the use of the internet and modern technology.  If their joy could be heard by other nations, our joy should be heard by others as well.

We have so much to be thankful for and such a responsibility to do the work that God wants us to do on and within ourselves.  Miracles happen when we get in line with God’s plan.  He openly invites us to participate in the miraculous.  Building the wall required commitment that is often lacking in modern times.  When we look back at all the rich material that has been offered during this campaign, we should see true progress.  We should be able to name ways that our lives have changed for the better.  And when we do, we are well within our right to celebrate.  #wepreach

Questions, Questions, Questions:

• How do you typically celebrate progress?
• Name one area that you have been challenged to improve as we have progressed through Nehemiah.
• Did you begin to intentionally focus on improving that area?