Where Restoration Starts
Nehemiah 1:1-4
1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:
In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
3 They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.
Video for this Sunday’s service can be view @ Sunday, November 6, 2022
What do you see in a sunrise?
Friends... Thank you for your prayers over the last six weeks during my Sabbatical. They have truly made a difference as Mary and I spent quality time gaining rest and renewal! A key part of this has been to spend time with Jesus each morning in places I would find to watch the sunrise. During this time I reflected on the verses from Lamentations 3:22-24 that say:
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions/mercy never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
I was in awe of some of the most beautiful sunrises I experienced as I communed with the Creator of all life. This time with Jesus has become more and more precious to me with each passing day. Waiting and watching for the sun to come up reminded me to be patient as I wait on Him to fill me with His presence. Then there were those mornings where the clouds and rain filled the sky and you could not see the sun at all. BUT… the light crept through the darkness and overwhelmed it. It was in those moments that I felt the strength of Jesus presence most of all.
During the next few months we are going to be on a journey to encounter how Jesus will revive us, rebuild us, and restore us in our walk with Him. We are lights in this world that cannot be hid. I invite you to join us in this walk together as we discover more and more how God’s compassion and mercy never fail!
Grateful for you,
John