Jump
JUMP
One of my VERY favorite songs of ALL time is “JUMP” by Van Halen. Yup, you read that correctly, a middle aged, Jesus loving mamma, whose favorite song is Jump? And, one of my favorite artists - Toby Mac😄 But, keep reading! Let me connect the dots for you.
Me and Susan (my 274,000 mile Honda Pilot…more on her later), have listened to that song over and over and over - windows down, sunroof open - with my kids or by myself. I never get tired of it… It’s my charge up song. If I had a walk up song as I was confidently striding up to the plate in the World Series, JUMP would be my song!!
One of my favorite recent memories is walking out of the airport in Austin, TX into beautiful sunshine, looking for Cole in the Captiva. Tears filling my eyes in anticipation of seeing my college student for the first time in too many months. After a quick hug and loading my luggage into the back. I get in the car to a coffee and the radio blasting…you got it…JUMP! My walk up song! When you think your kids don’t notice, aren’t paying attention, or don’t see you…trust me, they DO!
I sure hope that my kids are catching MUCH more than my incredible taste in music. Which according to the fact that they NEVER want to play my playlist…must be questionable. I like to think of my music taste as eclectic! You might hear some vintage Amy Grant followed by some Lynnrd Synnrd 🎸
What are our kids catching from us? Are they seeing joy, peace, how to handle tough situations? Are they seeing your first action to go to prayer when you face a dilemma? Are they seeing you flit from here to there not really sure what God desires for you? Are you always looking for the next best thing and missing out on what is right in front of you? I know that I am guilty of that sometimes. I know that there have been missed opportunities.
Let’s together work on our thoughts and focus on the work that God has for each of us, here on earth. What is your mission statement? Have you ever thought about that? Where has God put you right now? Are you speaking truth and life and affirmation to the people around you? Are you doing your absolute best - even if it’s packing lunches, cleaning bathrooms, doing laundry, going to a job that fits your family right now, but doesn’t feel like your calling? How can God use you in the mundane details of life? Maybe it’s a kind word or conversation with a cashier or grocery delivery person? Maybe you GET to parent or work with teenagers, and God is giving you an opportunity to really listen and hear their challenges and goals. Maybe you GET to speak into their lives walking carefully the tension between grace and truth. What is your mission?
Let’s dig into Nehemiah and look at how God laid out the mission for his life. During the time of Nehemiah, the Persian Empire encompassed nearly all of the Near East. The Jews were ordered by God to return to Jerusalem. Some scholars believe that Ezra, Nehemiah, and maybe even Mordecai (Esther’s uncle) stayed in Persia because they were working for the Persian Empire. That certainly seems true about Nehemiah. Nehemiah had a visit from his brother and asked how the remnant in Jerusalem was doing, NOT well he was told. So, Nehemiah, being a man of prayer, sat down, wept, and prayed before the God of heaven. He confessed the sins of the Israelites and said to the Lord.
“O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
Nehemiah 1:11
Isn’t that a beautiful prayer? He is asking the God of the Universe to let his ear be attentive to your servants. And, he is humbly asking for God’s favor. Can we do that? Let me give you a resounding YES! Yes, we can absolutely ask the Lord to let his ear be attentive to us, and we can ask for success today and for the Lord to grant us favor. Stop and really think about that. You can ask for God’s favor. You can ask for the Lord to turn his ear and be attentive to your prayer. And, do you know what…He will. He WILL turn his ear towards you and be attentive to your prayer.
When Nehemiah prayed, not only did the King grant Nehemiah a very long sabbatical (of 12 years!), but the King also gave him a travel visa, building supplies, military officers for his journey, and the King’s money which supported the rebuilding of the wall.
We are going to fast forward - but go read Nehemiah, if you want to dig in, I provided a 10 day Daily Devotional in the Resources at the end of this post.. He was falsely accused, the nobles did not want to work, he faced opposition, he was on the hit list from the kings surrounding Jerusalem. Not exactly Easy Street - even with God’s favor, even with the King’s support. You may feel like Nehemiah. You are doing all you can to live in the favor of God, but life is hard. God never promises that our lives will be easy. It is not a question of IF we will walk through hard things, the question is WHEN. So, like Nehemiah, are you prepared? It is clear that Nehemiah was prepared. His first response to the report on the disarray of Jerusalem, was to seek the Lord in prayer, and then he quoted Scripture. He KNEW the Lord, and he KNEW Scripture. That is exactly what God expects from us - to KNOW Him and to KNOW His word.
So, Nehemiah is on the top of the wall, working alongside the people to do the work that he had been sent to do. Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem,, the nearby kings, heard that the wall in Jerusalem was being rebuilt… and they became angry. They schemed to hurt Nehemiah by sending messengers to invite him to meet with them in a nearby village.
BUT, Nehemiah was a shrewd and capable leader, and he answers them.
So, I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?”
Nehemiah 6:3, NIV
This is one of my very favorite verses!
Nehemiah knew his purpose, and it most likely saved his life. He knew that God had sent him to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall, and he was going about the business of God. Focused on the task before him, focused on the hard work of getting the wall built. Nehemiah was an example of a man living and following his mission statement.
Nehemiah was not just building a wall and repairing Jerusalem. You are not “just” the uber driver for your kids, or the chief laundry officer, or the head cook. Just like Nehemiah was focusing for this particular season in his life to build and encourage and lead…. God had prepared him for years to have the skills to be able to lead this group of people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. AND, God had prepared his heart and guided him to answer the repeated attempts of kings to draw him away.
God had given him unique skills to know how to divide and support the people who were working on the wall. What are your unique skills and talents? How is God calling you to use them?
His one JOB - rebuilding the temple. Years of preparation, unbeknownst to him. He was a captive, doing a job to the best of his ability, not expecting that God was prepping and preparing him for something incredible. I often repeat that phrase from Nehemiah 16:3. “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down.”
What is your great work?
Maybe you are like me and you are in a season of chapter turning and discerning the next steps God wants you to take. Maybe not, maybe you know that you know that you know what God has equipped you to do - THEN DO THAT! Do your very best.
“Do everything without complaining or arguing.” Philippians 2:14
So, as I think about Nehemiah’s story again, what has God equipped me to do? How am I fulfilling God’s purpose for me? Do I have to do BIG things for God - or does my definition of BIG things for God need to include “I am being obedient to doing whatever it is that God lays before me.”
Am I taking scary steps of faith and trusting that what God says, He will do?
Am I JUMPing into my purpose? (See how I did that there…you can always use a little Van Halen to teach a Bible truth) The next time you hear that song, you are going to think about Nehemiah on the wall telling the messengers, I am sorry I can’t go with you, I have JUMPed into the purpose that God has for me right now.
My encouragement to you - JUMP into God’s purpose for you! Jump at the chance to Uber your kids and use that time to build relationships with them and with their friends. Pack lunches, go to work, hit the gym, do laundry…all with your eye on the prize - the PRIZE of living in your purpose and sharing the hope of eternity with Jesus to your people, To the people that you have the privilege of knowing.
And, when God tells you to take the next step - listen - and JUMP!
(And then listen to some 80’s hair band music!)
Resources:
Jump (you may want to preview this before you share it with your kids)
The Bible Recap Podcast: Year 5, Day 269 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bible-recap/id1440833267?i=1000629171137
10 Day Daily Devotional in Nehemiah. Link below.
https://www.blogger.com/u/2/blog/page/edit/7464925325166583742/1240893231339429491
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