“because the good hand of my God was on me”
My husband is a Navy Reservist, a Seabee. He has been a Seabee for 20+ years, and today it is important to see the mantra, the slogan, the premise of this wonderful military might, for the Seabees have a “CAN DO” model they follow. On my refrigerator rests a magnet baring the slogan: Seabees CAN DO!
I know this to be true because my husband has deployed, has served, & has done what only this military battalion was designed to do.
- When others need assistance, the Seabees CAN DO!
- When there are buildings to construct, the Seabees CAN DO!
- When water wells need dug & when airstrips need to be made, the Seabees CAN DO!
- Whenever there is a military movement, a military task to be accomplished—
The Seabees CAN DO!
Alright, be honest & lift up your hands, IF you (like me) have ever created mental lists of thoughts—JUST WHAT the LORD CAN’T possibly DO?
CANNOT DO!
We’re talking about the LORD—the CREATOR of EVERYTHING—the LORD of Lords—the KING of Kings!
For sure, that is the most preposterous thought—EVER!
Truly, there is NOTHING THE LORD, ALMIGHTY GOD—CANNOT DO!
So, when the LORD places a task upon our hearts, why do we ever create lists within our minds?
Why do we come up with reasons WHY we can’t possibly do WHATEVER THE LORD IS LEADING US TO DO?
- We cannot.
- We should not.
Surely, we would not, BUT WE DO.
Imagine these situations—
- Imagine working as a servant.
- Imagine being a slave to a king of a nation far from your birthplace.
- Imagine hearing about your home, about the destruction of it.
- Imagine being burdened with the weight of just WHAT YOU CAN’T DO!
JUST IMAGINE!
“So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.”
(Nehemiah 2: 2-4 NASB)
Then I was very much afraid.
I said to the king, “Let the king live forever.
Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?
Then the king said to me, “What would you request?”
So I prayed to the God of heaven.”
After seeking God through prayer, the servant, the slave, the one living totally displaced from his homeland, & the prophet Nehemiah:
“I said to the king, “If it please the king and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”
(Nehemiah 2: 5 NASB)
- Once the LORD lays a task upon our hearts—
- Once the LORD places a situation, a need, or a concern upon our hearts—
- Once the LORD calls us to action, we are to seek Him in prayer, seeking His direction, & then we are to step out in boldness & courage & JUST DO WHATEVER THE LORD HAS GIVEN US TO DO!
When we look at a situation or a task, we see the positive outcome “all the good God can do!”
& then—
If we are not careful, we will stop seeing “all the good God can do” & instead see looming before our faces, all the negativity, all the impossible reasons this task cannot be done.
- We’re too old.
- We’re too busy.
- We’re too weak.
- We’re too poor.
- We’re too small.
- We’re too unimportant.
- We’re too young in our Christian walk.
- We’re too mature in our Christian walk.
We’re too _____________________________________________________.
Imagine that you are walking, and as you walk, a LARGE pack must be carried. This burden is extremely HEAVY. As you trudge along, step-after-step, the burden seems to become heavier if that’s even possible. Along the way, a man driving a team of horses, riding atop a wagon stops beside us and offers us a ride. Thankfully accepting, we climb aboard and sit beside the man, still holding tightly to our LARGE, HEAVY pack. Pause for a moment, see a mental image of this man driving a massive team of stallions, strong enough to pull us through and take us anywhere the man wants us to go. See the Man. See the Stallions. See us riding there upon the wagon seat there beside the man. & See us bent over at the waist, burdened, and bent with the WEIGHT of what we have been carrying, what we are carrying, & what we continue to carry—EVEN THOUGH HE HAS PROMISED TO TAKE US ALL THE WAY!
- Rather than releasing our burden, we grip it tightly.
- Rather than sitting down our burden into the bed of the wagon, we hold on to it.
- Rather than trusting the strength, we still carry our burden.
- Rather than doing what we know is RIGHT, we do the EXACT OPPOSITE!
“I Can Only Imagine” MercyMe reminds us through song what GOD DOES WHEN WE LET GO & LET GOD—DO!
Through the narrative of the prophet Nehemiah, we learn a valuable truth: GOD DOES WHAT CANNOT POSSIBLY BE DONE!
May We—
- Give our burdens to the LORD.
- Allow GOD to carry us through whatever life-situation we are walking through today.
- Bow down on our knees & pray, releasing our prayer-concern to our Father.
- Let Go & Let GOD Do What Only HE CAN DO!
- Lift up our hands & Praise God, as we watch JUST WHAT the LORD CAN DO!
Most assuredly, there is NOTHING—ALMIGHTY GOD—CANNOT DO!
The psalmist reminds us of where we must place our faces & where we are to look & what we are to do.
“Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you;
(Psalm 55: 22 NASB)
He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”