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Lesson Twenty Five<\/p>\n
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FAITHFUL BUILDERS<\/p>\n
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Memory Verse: Nehemiah 2:20<\/a><\/strong> When one of my daughters was in Middle School, she played on the girls basketball team. Each year the team would travel to a sister school to participate in a weekend tournament that would begin Saturday night and go into Sunday. On this particular weekend we went down on Friday to enjoy the Sabbath hours prior to the tournament. What caught us off guard was when the team was asked to report to the Saturday night game before sundown.<\/span><\/p>\n The team was asked to report to the Saturday night game before sundown.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n We went ahead and had our daughter change into her uniform assuming that the early call meant there would be a group worship.<\/span> But on arrival, we only saw excited girls playing with basketballs. I asked the coach, \u201cWe\u2019re having worship, right?\u201d After some hesitation, he responded. \u201cAh, yes. Thanks for offering.\u201d Now really caught by surprise I raced up to our room to grab my Bible, my mind racing through what worship talk might be meaningful to pre-teen girls whose thoughts were completely distracted by the upcoming tournament. That\u2019s when I turned to Nehemiah 3.<\/span><\/p>\n If you haven\u2019t read this chapter, turn to it now. When you get there, you may be surprised. At first glance, it appears to be a long description of building the wall of Jerusalem. And it is. It\u2019s one unpronounceable name after another. But before you completely dismiss it as irrelevant, recognize it isn\u2019t about the wall; it\u2019s about who\u2019s building it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It isn\u2019t about the wall; it\u2019s about who\u2019s building it.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem and recognized that rebuilding the wall needed to be a priority. He issued an \u201call hands on deck\u201d call to the people in Jerusalem. The wall was divided into sections and assignments given. Take a moment and count the names or groups listed. You\u2019ll find more than 40. Now notice <\/span>who<\/span><\/i> they are. They aren\u2019t masons, contractors, or builders. But priests, perfumers, goldsmiths, and women\u2014everyday people who may not have all the skills required, but together they contributed what they had.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n One word that\u2019s repeated throughout the chapter is \u201crepair.\u201d The word is used 38 times. Translated, this word can mean to strengthen; encourage; or to make something strong. The people weren\u2019t simply building a wall, they were building relationships. I think you can see why it was a great chapter for a Middle School basketball team. It wasn\u2019t about the upcoming game; it was about working together as a team encouraging each other no matter the outcome.<\/span><\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t about the upcoming game; it was about working together as a team encouraging each other no matter the outcome.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n This is the same message for us today. We are called to show up\u2014in our neighborhood, our community, school, and church. It doesn\u2019t matter our skill set, or the talent of the one next to us\u2014the point is to pick up our part of the work. In this we are doing what Jesus called us to do. Where\u2019s your part of the wall? Start building and be renewed.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_id=”digging-deeper” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Arial||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” header_font=”Playfair Display|900||on|||||” header_font_size=”20px” header_letter_spacing=”1px” header_6_font=”Arial||||||||” header_6_font_size=”7px” header_6_line_height=”2.5em” inline_fonts=”Arial” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n When Ezra arrived in Jerusalem, he was told of the intermarriage with surrounding heathen nations. Ezra\u2019s reaction is strong. The Bible tells us he sits down astonished. Some versions say \u201cshocked\u201d or \u201cappalled.\u201d When confronted with sin, Ezra is devastated for an entire day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n His remedy, however, is found in God. After his time of mourning, Ezra, too ashamed to face God, prayed face down, arms lifted in contrition and appeal. This is not a routine prayer. It is a prayer of deep confession. The community has sinned. Ezra included himself among the guilty as he appealed to God for mercy. No excuses. No conditions. No requests.<\/span><\/p>\n When was the last time you were appalled by sin? No matter where you live, there is corruption and depravity. And sin continues to abound! Not just with ordinary people, but leaders too. What\u2019s perhaps most startling is that we\u2019ve seemingly become so comfortable with sin, that like Israel, we no longer react. It\u2019s time to be appalled. It\u2019s time to raise our hands heavenward and drop our heads. It\u2019s time to plead for God\u2019s mercy, not only for us, but our communities. It\u2019s time.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n As a family work together this week. Here\u2019s a few suggestions:<\/span><\/p>\n Live alone? Think about your job or things you do to volunteer. How helpful are others toward getting the job done? How helpful are you? What could be improved so relationships are encouraged?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#000000″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”569.9px” custom_padding=”|133px|2px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/startingwithjesus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Renew-logo-b.png” title_text=”Renew-logo-b” _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”71%” module_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”100%” module_alignment=”left” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Further Study:\u00a0<\/strong>Ezra 7-10; Nehemiah<\/a><\/strong>; <\/span>Prophets and Kings<\/i><\/a><\/strong>, 607-678<\/a><\/strong>; <\/span>The Bible Story<\/span><\/i>, vol. 6, pp. 100-128<\/span><\/p>\n<\/h1>\n
Digging Deeper\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n
Making it Real<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n
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Merle Poirier<\/strong> writes from Silver Spring, Maryland, where she works as the operation manager for Adventist Review<\/em> and Adventist World<\/em> magazines as well as the designer for KidsView<\/em>, a magazine for 8-12-year-olds. She enjoys spending time with her family including being the grandmother of two active little boys, who greatly enjoy Starting With Jesus.<\/span><\/h6>\n