Last night’s movie had a lesson about teamwork and individual responsibility as it pertained to a football team. The team’s coach used Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the wall as his example.

I had to go to Nehemiah today to re-read. I knew it had something for me to hear.

The walls of Jerusalem were in ruins. Those walls needed to be rebuilt and rebuilt quickly. The impossible task overwhelmed Jerusalem but Nehemiah planned with God’s help. First Nehemiah surveyed the ruins carefully. Then, God gave wisdom to Nehemiah to assign everyone the wall nearest their own homes, connecting the work with 10 gates. In a record 52 days, the walls were rebuilt, surrounding Jerusalem, protecting the city from the enemy. And in dedication, the word of God was read and the people worshipped the living God.

The enemy intended destruction. Our Lord lifts his people out of the ruins, renewed with His Word, the Truth, proclaimed for all to hear.

I’m re-building the wall nearest my home. How about you?

We enjoyed an awesome movie tonight called Facing the Giants.

While the story is about a private christian school’s football coach and his team, the real story is about fear. Facing it. Learning that when we have our eyes on our giants, we will stumble.

But when we have our eyes on God, the giants stumble.

No matter the circumstances. Do what’s right. Do our best. Honor God.

Then no matter the outcome, God gets the glory.

“But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story
The Voice of Truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
And the Voice of Truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth” - Casting Crowns

Go to this movie.

This weekend.

Go.

You will be encouraged.

Fact: If two dogs are in a fight, the bigger one will win. The one that has been fed more abundantly has the advantage. The one that is starved won’t have a chance.

I’ve spent the past five days on an emotional rollercoaster. Emotions of anger. Sadness. Pain. Going up and down, from moment to moment, grieving.

I know there is still grief work to do. I know there will be more days of sadness and anger and pain but a wise man once taught me that our emotions are responders.

I intend to feed the right dog. I intend to engage my brain cells to think rightly.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally brethren…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Phil 4:6-8

Some things for our “to do list” with a great reward!

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” I Peter 5: 8-11

This new friend nudged my brain into a memory about clay.

Clay?

Yes. I love the stuff. Brown, moist dirt from the ground.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to work with clay, put it on your “to do list”.

Clay is an amazing substance. You can work with it. Make something of it. Let it dry out. If you don’t like what you made, you can resoak it in water to rehydrate it and start again. It is completely alterable in the clay stage. In fact, if you make a vessel of clay and let it dry and then attempt to keep water in it, you will be disappointed. The water will turn your dried out vessel into mushy clay.

But, once the clay has been allowed to dry, heating the clay to temperatures over 1800 degrees, changes its properties from clay to stoneware.

Simply put: The fire changes the dirt to a useful object which can withstand the elements of water, wind and even more fire.

2 Corinthians 4: 7-10 says: But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

I still can not fathom why God would choose to use humans, made of dirt/clay, to carry His treasure. I think of the value of the message of Jesus. The importance. The grandeur. The prize of glory. Shouldn’t this message be in the best media campaign?

Instead, he gave this super-duper, amazing, extraordinary task to the most ordinary vessels. We leak. We turn mushy and lose our form. We are cracked pots.

In spite of my cracks, my inabilities, the treasured message will be revealed. The All-surpassing power of God. Not from us.

In the fire? God has his plan for His clay jars.