Week 14 – March 30-April 5, 2025: Act Upon Your Faith

This week’s daily readings:

March 30-April 5, 2025

This week’s devotional:

Act Upon Your Faith

by Sue Hersey

Scripture:

So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.

When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.

— Nehemiah 2:9-10 (NLT) 

Reflection:

Several years ago, our church undertook a massive renovation project to perform some much-needed building repairs. Our ambitious plans included improvements to the stage area and narthex, bolstering up the balcony, and adding many handicap-accessibility features as well as new floors, carpeting, and paint throughout the building. Coming up with a list of things to accomplish was easy. Finding volunteers to lead and the right contractors to get the work done was a little trickier. Raising the money to pay for it all was daunting, to say the least!

As you might expect, there were many doubters and nay-sayers who thought we could never do it. Nonetheless, MCC decided on faith that we would take on the project, relying on the grace of God more than the power of man to get it done. Our Pastor at the time decided we should call it the Nehemiah Project after that dauntless Old Testament character who took on the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall after it had been destroyed. He launched a sermon series based upon the book of Nehemiah and the project committee moved forward with the building plans and a campaign to educate the parishioners and ask for donations. 

I like to think we were as bold as Nehemiah in our approach to the renovation project. Yes, Nehemiah prayed both before and during his project, asking God for help and blessings, but he didn’t leave it at that. He went ahead and acted on his desired mission! He got up his nerve and asked for help from powerful people and they gave it to him. He traveled long distances and worked hard to see it through. When others threatened the project, he persevered and carried on with the work. Those involved in the MCC project acted similarly, with prayer, hard work, and perseverance. In the end, it took longer, and cost more than we ever dreamed it would, but we were overjoyed to witness God stepping in with an unexpected endowment gift that would eventually pay for the whole renovation. Nehemiah had lots of help, resources, and protection from King Artaxerxes, and MCC had many great volunteers and the benefit of the funding we received. Both stories are extraordinary examples of God providing when people boldly act upon faith! 

Is there something on your heart that you would like to see accomplished, just like in the story of Nehemiah? Sometimes it takes more than a desire, more than just prayer, vision, or even good planning. The enemy would be thrilled if all we did was to talk and plan and pray about a mission and never really act upon our faith. Opposition to Nehemiah didn’t crop up in the planning and praying stages. It didn’t occur until they saw him getting things done. The most important step is to take action upon your faith!

If God is for your plans, he will surely help you accomplish them. Maybe it’s time to take the next step? 

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, it’s such a blessing when you provide for people on a mission! Implant in our hearts the desire to do things that promote the welfare of others. No doubt, planning is important, and prayer is essential, but help us to make our move when it’s time. Equip us with the knowledge and stamina we need to act and carry out your will, bringing sponsors and helpers alongside of us, as needed. Give us strength to persevere under opposition and keep us safe. Help us to recognize those extraordinary miracles you send our way and to tell others all about it. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen