Live Oak — How do you eat an elephant? Say it with me: “One bite at a time!” This old cliché is more than just a quick reply…it contains the wisdom and necessity of a plan when tackling an overwhelming task. When we look at the overall picture, no wonder we want to run away! But no matter how huge a problem or project seems, it can be accomplished with a process of beginning at one point and continuing step by step until completion. So, I wonder what daunting task lies before you: finding a job, caring for elderly parents, overcoming an addiction, raising children, saving your marriage, or maybe just finding purpose in your life. The possibilities are endless, but the first question is always the same: “Where do I start?”

For the next several weeks, I hope to get the answer to this question and the inevitable ones that follow through an in depth look at the book of Nehemiah. This scripture is so valuable because it gives an eyewitness account of an overwhelming task with much opposition, and not only records his actions in reaching the goal, but also some of his private thoughts and prayers throughout the process. Nehemiah begins his story by telling of the troubling news he received from several men returning from Judah to Persia, where he served as cupbearer to the king. The report was bleak concerning the condition of the Jewish remnant and Jerusalem:

“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”(Nehemiah 1:3).

 (A little background: Jerusalem had been destroyed some 140 years earlier by the Babylonians, with the Jews being taken as slaves into exile. After Persia conquered Babylon, King Cyrus established a policy of returning exiles to their homeland. His successor, King Darius supported the reconstruction of the temple in Jerusalem, but little else had been accomplished.)

After “hearing” this news, Nehemiah sat down and wept, then he mourned, fasted and prayed. In the original Hebrew language the word “heard” is transliterated “sama.” According to the Old Testament Lexical Aids, it means “to hear, give undivided attention, to understand what one has heard, to obey, give heed to…essentially denotes perceiving a message or sensing a sound.” I want to suggest to you the answer to our first question. This is where we start, by really “hearing” the problem or need that warrants the project. To not just hear with one ear as it goes in and out the other, but with our “undivided attention,” to understand what is needed and then to “give heed to” and perceive what role we will play in accomplishing the task. Is our role as a leader, a helper, an encourager, or do we have a valid role at all?

If we don’t properly “hear”, we can react emotionally and make an even bigger mess out of a difficult issue. With good intentions, we can even move in a direction farther away from the real goal. Through “hearing,” Nehemiah determined that his goal was to bring glory to God by restoring the reality of God’s presence among his people in Jerusalem. Practically, his role would be to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem and implement civil authority. You and I are going to take this journey with him, but meanwhile, I encourage you to set aside time this week to “hear.” Pray about the role you are to play in the task you are facing, and get a clear picture of the goal. Take this important first step…because your heart matters!

 

Blessings, Angie

 

Heart Matters is a weekly column written by Angie Land, Director of the Family Life Ministries of the Lafayette Baptist Association, where she teaches bible studies, leads marriage and family conferences and offers biblical counseling to individuals, couples and families.  Contact Angie with questions or comments at angieland3@windstream.net