#DailyDevotion The Lord Uses Instruments To Fulfill His Will In Us.

September 20th

Read Neh 4:7–23

Neh 4:15-20  When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work…Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other.  (18)  And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me.  (19)  And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another.  (20)  In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

 

A man in terrible straights prayed to the Lord day and night asking God to let him win the lottery.  After months of praying this prayer, he heard a voice after his prayer.  It said, “Could you at least work with me and buy a ticket?”

 

The Jews had a promise they would return to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls.  The word had gone out and it was up to them to actually get up and leave Babylon to go back to Jerusalem.  The Lord protected them on their way back.  When they got to Jerusalem they saw the state the Babylonians had left it after their siege 70 earlier.  The Lord wasn’t going to just zapp the walls into being.  He was going to use the Jews to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and the temple.

 

With the Arabs and the Ammonites threatening the Jews, the Jewish builders were mighty afraid to continue the work.  Nehemiah promised them, “Our God will fight for us.”  It is true that at some times, the Lord worked immediately by sending His angels to destroy them.  But throughout the history of Israel, the Lord strengthened the Israelites in battle, put their enemies into confusion by affecting their hearts and oftentimes had His angels participating in the battles.  Our Lord is a God of means.  He uses the things created to accomplish His goals.  So the Jews worked while armed and had others standing guard.

 

As we go about our lives, the Lord has made numerous promises that apply to us.  He promises to provide our daily bread.  He never-the-less expects us to go about being productive with our hands. If you need a job, He expects you to hit the pavement, put in some applications and go to some interviews.  When we do get a job, He expects us to do our best in doing it to His glory.  So while the Lord Jesus can zapp stuff into being, He uses means to accomplish His will.

 

So too our salvation.  Our Lord Jesus by His work on the cross won salvation for all mankind.  He uses fallen, born again men to bring this message of salvation to all people.  He uses men to preach and give this salvation to all people.  He uses water and His Word to wash away our sins.  He uses men to pronounce forgiveness.  Jesus uses bread and wine to give us His body and blood so we can participate in His covenant.

 

Lord Jesus Christ, help us to recognize the means you use to bring us salvation that we may live our lives in faith.  Amen.