The leaves have fallen from our trees. The bare branches reveal that Winter is on its way, but a tree on our street revealed something else to me: a lot of hard work that had been going on for a long time without me (or perhaps anyone) knowing anything about it. A big old wasp's nest hung high in the tree.
I read that it can take between four and six months for a nest to be built, that is a lot of hard work happening very near to us that we haven't a clue is going on. But our awareness of it matters not to the wasps. They stay focused and productive for their end goal...and they achieve it. The proof of that is hanging in plain sight for anyone to see it now.
What does God have us working on? What's happening behind the scenes in our lives today? ...and maybe yesterday, and possibly for the past four to six months...or longer?
Have we been putting in a lot of (physical/emotional/mental/spiritual/prayerful) hard work that perhaps no one but us (and God) know anything about?
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, (24) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. ~Colossians 3:23-24
Keep going today. One step at a time, one moment at a time, one layer at a time...keep building whatever "big old wasp nest" God has assigned to us. It may be almost impossible to see the progression on some days...but God is moving. He surely is, and He surely will.
Others may have absolutely no clue (or care) of what we are working on...and may that matter not to us.
May we stay focused and productive for our end goal--serving God with the assignment He has tasked us with. And may we (one day) achieve it with God's help.
Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. ~Proverbs 16:3
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Very few great works, whether physical or relational, happen overnight. Most take time...often a lot of it, and all of them take work and investment from the ones called to it.
Noah didn't build the ark overnight...it took him a long time (some scholars say between 55 and 75 years). It took him a lot of hard work and effort. And people thought he was crazy while he built it. But Noah kept working anyway.
This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God....
(11) Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. (12) God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. (13) So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them...
(14) So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out....
(17) I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth... Everything on earth will perish. (18) But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you.
(19) You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. (20) Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive"...
(22) Noah did everything just as God commanded him. ~Genesis 6:9, 11-14, 17-20, 22
What great work does God have us working on that is not occurring "overnight"?
What is God doing that is taking our time, hard work, and investment...and often a lot of it?
Have we been praying for someone to come home to Christ for a long time? Even 55 to 75 years?
Do not grow weary today. God is moving. He surely is, and He surely will. People thought Noah was crazy...until it started to rain.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ~Galatians 6:9
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Keep going today. One step at a time, one moment at a time, one layer at a time...keep building whatever God has assigned to us. It may be almost impossible to see the progression on some days...but God is moving. He surely is, and He surely will.
Others may have absolutely no clue (or care) of what we are working on...and may that matter not to us.
Solomon completed his entire palace complex after 13 years of construction. ~I Kings 7:1
Thirteen years Solomon was working on something specific for the Lord.
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Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”
(18) I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work. ~Nehemiah 2:17-18
Fifty-two days Nehemiah took off work from his regular job (after asking permission from his boss and receiving it...and receiving funding from him!) to work instead on rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem.
They worked day-in and day-out, and sometimes those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, (18) and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked (Nehemiah 4:17-18).
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We might be hard at work on something hidden from anyone else's view, or mocked by those who do see us, but all that matters is that God's eye and command are upon us.
Keep going today. One step, one moment, one day, one year at a time. Keep at it--whatever God has assigned to us. God is moving. He surely is, and He surely will.
Blessings,
sarah
https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com
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