From the Pastor's Desk

The Jews had been back in their homeland for over 90 years, and the temple had been rebuilt. Nehemiah was excited to hear the news of what had been happening from his brother (Neh. 1:1-4). The news he received was most disheartening. The walls surrounding the city had not been rebuilt at all. Therefore, there was no stability or safety. God's people could not even be called a nation. Nehemiah did not take the news well. He could not remain standing. He was wrecked. He wept, not just for a few minutes, but for days. His grief led him to seek God through prayer and fasting.

What is wrecking you? When we face unpleasant circumstances in our life, or we hear news we don't want to hear, we tend to think God has abandoned us. However, this is not the case. God loves His people and wants something done for their good. God brought Nehemiah to his knees so he would be ready and prepared to accomplish the task that God had set before him to do.

It is not just a virus with which we are coping. Life goes on. People have received bad news and dealt with things that have been like a wrecking ball on top of everything else. We have heard many reports from others, and we have experienced it ourselves. What is your default response? Do you panic, or do you pray? God always has a plan, and you can trust Him. He loves you. His heart toward you is good. When life hits you like a wrecking ball, fall to your knees and stay there.

Pastors Mark and Jennifer