Forget Me Not
May 8, 2017
Verse for the Week: “Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the leaders and the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Remember the Lord who is great and glorious; fight for your friends, your families, and your homes!” Nehemiah 4:14 (Living Bible)
I am in the middle of doing a bible study on Nehemiah with some precious friends of mine. We meet once a week and share life—struggles, joys, and faith together. I don’t always feel like I have the time to spare, but am blessed each time I go because I rediscover how much I gain by studying the word of God with other women of faith!
Sometimes, as I work through the bible study content, I come across something that jumps off the page and stops me in my tracks; our scripture for this week was one of those special times. I can’t wait to tell you why.
Nehemiah’s story starts and ends with passion. A holy passion for God’s people and their land. His heart is broken over the ruins of Jerusalem and the broken down wall that was unable to provide protection for its people.
As a result, he made some major personal sacrifices to spearhead the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem in an effort to restore its purpose: protect the people.
Often, when I look at the situation around me and see the devastation caused by divorce, addiction, infidelity, and selfish ambition, my heart breaks. All I can see are the ruins of lives left in the wake of broken down family walls. Walls once designed for protection now lay broken in piles of rubble unable to provide safety, consistency, and godliness for our children and ourselves.
How about you? What do you see when you look around? Does it break your heart? Make you mad? Do you feel helpless to change the landscape of your life and that of your children?
The good news is that we can find courage and guidance in our verse for the week as Nehemiah gives us two directives. First, he tells us not to be afraid, but that we are to remember the Lord, who is great and glorious. And second, to fight for those we love, those in our spheres of influence.
This brings me to why I’m excited by this verse. Being single moms, we have the power to change the landscape of life as we know it.
We can rebuild the ruins left behind in the fire of absent fathers, abuse, neglect, and more.
We can love our children with the love God gives us.
We can model right behavior and good choices.
We can sacrifice financially to teach them good stewardship of money.
That’s what it looks like to fight for our families. That’s what it looks like to start the rebuilding process that will last for generations to come. That’s what it looks like to leave a legacy of divine change.
I want more for my children than just surviving the ruins of life. I want them to hold their heads up high. I want them to have a divine peace in the midst of this crazy world. I want them to be whole and complete because of Gods healing power.
Is it too much to ask? Absolutely not. Why? Because of the mighty great and glorious God we serve. Are you with me? Let’s join together and rebuild the ruins.
Prayer:
Lord, Thank you for giving me the strength to fight for my family. Focus my energy on what I need to do, and give me peace about what I need to let go of. Use my hands, my heart, and my mind to make a lasting change and a new legacy for my children. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflect and Respond:
Have you forgotten your great and glorious God and his power to rebuild your family? Oh, sweet single mom, you have been blessed with a very important and impactful assignment. Pray about one choice you can make this week toward this awesome honor to fight for those you love.
Remember, you are not alone. Be blessed as you rebuild the walls of your family, and let us never forget our Lord who is mighty in power and glorious in His love for us!
Dori
*Reprinted from January 25, 2016