| My brother-in-law made a machine once that was impressive. It had a crank on it – with a really big handle that had a sweet place to get a good grip with your hand. What you did was grab the handle and crank really hard – and the machine went, “whirrrrrr.” Awesome!Energetically cranking the machine, I asked my brother-in-law, “What does it do?”
“That,” he replied, … “It does what it is doing.”
“Ok, but, what does it do?” I asked again.
“It does that,” he said pointing at the machine.
“But it isn’t doing anything!” I retorted.
“Exactly,” he replied.
As a pastor, I often feel like I’m cranking up my brother-in-law’s machine: lots of impressive handles to crank, lots of noise, lots of energy – but, accomplishing nothin’, absolutely nothin’.
Nehemiah did not want the inhabitants of the newly refurbished Jerusalem to be like my brother-in-law’s machine: lots of work rebuilding the walls without understanding the purpose of it all. What was the purpose? To rebuild the walls of the City where God dwells in His temple and to therefore re-confirm that the Jews are God’s people.
Do you find yourself doing a lot of work and really getting into the “whirring” sound of all the activity? Perhaps it is time to stop the machine, take a step back and ask God what the true purpose of all this activity is. The Holy Spirit is standing by, ready to pour over you with Heavenly purpose and understanding. |
Kathleen S Evenhouse
Kathleen S Evenhouse 