Stephen Edgecombe |30 September, 2018| Devotional

We were not designed to bear burdens alone. When we see the brokenness in our communities and the world, the solutions seem overwhelming. A God-sized vision is simply too big for any one of us. The church’s mission—to go into all the world and make disciples—is too big for one person.  We need the help of others.

God gave Nehemiah a desire to see Jerusalem’s wall rebuilt, but Nehemiah did not complete the task on his own. Nehemiah 3 lists 43 different groups of people who helped to bring the wall to completion. The historian Josephus recorded the circumference of Jerusalem’s walls at about 4.5 miles. Other sources tell us the wall was 15 feet thick and perhaps 12 feet high. Rebuilding the wall was a big job.

The cooperation of the people in rebuilding the wall is a great example of how the church was designed to function. Some completed large sections of the wall while others made small repairs. Everyone shared the burden and together they finished the job. They were not professional builders; simply ordinary people willing to follow an extraordinary vision.

Paul reminds us that we all have a role in the church (Romans 12:4-8). When you’re tempted to wonder if your little bit matters, remember: You make a huge difference! We are all ordinary people with unique gifts. But when we’re using our gifts and working together, we can make a bigger difference than any one of us could do alone.

How can you use your unique gifts and talents to build the church?

Read: Nehemiah 3