I Cannot Come Down

That's me on the top, in my orange bathrobe.

We're at the end of January and I am remembering that I have a love/ hate relationship with New Years resolutions.  The only one I've been completely successful in keeping is the one deciding never to write any more resolutions.  It certainly makes sense to stop and think about what I should improve on during the year.  January 1st is the perfect time to wipe the slate clean.  Out with the old, in with the new.  The thing is, I know myself and I know that I usually do not have the self-control and determination to keep half of the promises I make to myself.  I usually slide into February disgusted with myself for not even being able to keep my desk straight for the obligatory 21 days it takes to form a new habit.

Part of the problem with many of the resolutions I have made in the past is that I haven't been completely on board with them.  They aren't true passions of mine.  Exhibit A: neater desk.  I'm creative, I've got a lot running in the background of my life. Lots of responsibilities, projects and ideas.  There is no moss growing under my desk.   Having a neater workspace would be nice but it doesn't resonate in my gut that this is completely necessary, therefore, it doesn't move to the top of my list of things to spend my time doing (until the piles get so big that even I can't stand it any more).

So, what IS necessary?  Since I'm a Christian, this question by nature has to involve God.   If I desire to follow the Lord and live for Him, it changes the question to: what is necessary for me in light of what God is doing in my life?  To paraphrase Henry Blackaby, where can I clearly see God working around me and how can I join Him there by focusing on the things He has for me to do right now?  Not what He has other people doing or what I think I should be doing, but what He has clearly given me to do.

Earlier this month I was talking to my mom and dad about a book project I am working on. I know that this is something the Lord started in my life and that He wants me to finish it but sometimes it feels like the process is taking too long and it's easy to get distracted.  They both encouraged me to keep working and to make this the year that I finish it.

My dad sent me a link to a sermon by Andy Stanley of North Point Church in Georgia.  It was a simple message but an important one.  He recounted the story of Nehemiah, a Jewish man who was a Persian king's cup bearer.  Basically, Nehemiah tried the wine before the king tasted it.  If Nehemiah died after the first sip, the king would know that one of his enemies had tried to poison him.  High stakes work.

Nehemiah found out that Jerusalem was in bad shape and that the walls were laying in piles of rubble all around the city.  Nehemiah boldly asked the king for some time off to go to Jerusalem so he could  try to rebuild the wall.  Not only did the king allow him to go but he also made Nehemiah the governor of Jerusalem and gave Him everything he needed to build the wall.  The wall had been torn down for so long that  the city would have had a "kick me" sign on the front gate if they'd had one.  Jerusalem was completely vulnerable.  Because of this there was no sense of national pride or- more importantly- understanding that God was with them.  Nehemiah came to the conclusion that although there were lots of problems that needed to be addressed in the city, there was one thing he absolutely had to do: to rebuild the wall around the city so the people would be protected and recognize that God was with them.

He gathered the citizens of Jerusalem around and laid out the problem, the solution and the vision for the people.  As the Jews made progress while they were building,  their enemies started to get concerned and defensive.  They sent spies, infiltrated their workers, and sent armed forces to attack the men working on the wall.  These folks caused lots of problems but the Jews kept building.

When it was almost complete, one of Nehemiah's enemies, Sanballat, tried to distract him and get him off the wall so he could kill him and stop the building of the wall.  He sent a deceptively friendly sounding letter to Nehemiah saying,

"Hey Nehi, Why don't you come down so we can talk for a while?"

Nehemiah had a profound answer for Sanballat:

"I am doing a great work and I cannot come down."

The work God gave Nehemiah was not going to be thwarted by a distraction. Nehemiah was focused on the one thing God had clearly given him to do.  Build the wall.

Nehemiah goes on to ask Sanballat, "Why should I stop and come down to you?  How does spending time with you benefit the work I am doing- that God gave me to do?"

Satan doesn't make it obvious that he is using "good" things in our lives to distract us from the the great work God has called us to. In fact,  those things often appear deceptively benign, like Sanballat's invitation to spend time with Nehemiah.  Satan never tells us that He is trying to destroy us and the work God is doing through us- he just leads us off through distraction and other things my husband calls "bright shiny objects."

So, the take away from this passage is: what is the one thing you need to do?  What great work has God given you, that you need to focus on completely without distraction or interruption- until it is finished?  A relationship? A habit? A project? A ministry? A business?  Ask God to show you the thing, and then climb up on that wall and complete the task.   I would add that this must me done while abiding in Him.    Without Him we can do nothing.

For me, the one thing is actually two: this book project and my commitment to homeschooling with excellence.  For both of these, I can say with Nehemiah, "I am doing a great thing, and I cannot come down."  I will not be distracted by what others are doing or by what they want me to do, or even by what I think I should be doing.  There are plenty of good things out there but only the things that God has given to me specifically are beneficial for me to spend time on.

So, as far as New Years resolutions go, I'm still resolved not to make them.  At least not without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I am, however a big fan of asking the Lord, what would you have me to do?  And then resolving to be fully committed to climbing up on the wall and doing those things in His strength.

PS: I have fixed the problem with comments so please try again!