ECCU Blog

We had a Nehemiah event at our church several weeks ago. No, we didn’t rebuild any walls. We did something more enduring with far more impact. We read Scripture aloud for three hours. It was an amazing and moving event inspired by the recounting in Nehemiah 8 of the Scriptures being read for the first time in 70 years. 

The passage says that “all the people gathered as one man.” The high priest Ezra, standing on a raised platform, read to “all who could understand” from morning until midday—about six hours! The reaction of the people upon hearing the Word—most for the first time—was dramatic. The account says “all the people stood up” as the reading began, then all the people answered “Amen, Amen!” They then lifted their hands, bowed low, and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. It must have been a profound, holy sight. 

Our gathering began late Sunday afternoon, not even 7 hours after the Scriptures were last opened in our church, let alone 70 years. We started with a simple hymn accompanied by a lone guitar. Then the reading began. Two lecterns were placed on the platform several feet apart. Each reader read a chapter from the book of Matthew. Qualifications? Ability to read (or at least really good at memorizing!). Readers ranged from Junior high age to really old (my generation). As one reader completed a chapter, the next was ready at the other lectern. No commentary. No interpretation. No one even snuck in a little exegesis! 

We stopped halfway through—after chapter 14—for a short dinner break on the patio. We were prepared to feed about 100 people but quickly ran out of food as almost twice that number showed up. While we had just read about Jesus multiplying the loaves and fishes, we apparently lacked sufficient faith to add even one tuna fish sandwich. No one complained. 

As our Nehemiah moment continued, the ambient noise in the auditorium seemed to fade further and further away. I don’t know for sure whether people just stopped their usual fidgeting and fussing or if I simply stopped noticing as we were drawn more and more deeply into the Scripture. Probably a little of both. Nehemiah 8:3 says “all the people were attentive to the book of the law.” So were the people at Grace Church that evening. 

Going in, I was a little nervous about sitting for three hours just listening to someone read, even Scripture. By the time we got to about chapter 18 or so, I was so focused on the power of the spoken Word that I was mostly unaware of the time, and less concerned about how well someone read. I found myself growing disappointed that the reading would soon end. Three hours? It went by faster than some 30-minute sermons I’ve heard (not from our pastor, of course). 

Somehow, the public reading of Scripture—in this case an entire gospel—moved our people in ways that even a Spirit-inspired sermon seldom does. I don’t know how other people responded, but I was drawn into the Scripture unlike ever before. It was certainly a Hebrews 4 kind of experience—For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

A lot of this happened at Grace Church on that Sunday. We will definitely do it again, and we’ll make a lot more sandwiches.

We don’t know how to pray. The Bible is clear about that (Romans 8:26). But God, in his goodness, not only gives his Spirit to intercede for us, but also provides us with precepts on prayer in his Word.

Ecclesiastes 5: 1–2 tells us:

Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.

In just two verses, God reveals several disciplines of prayer:

Prayer is purposeful. If you were invited to give a sermon or devotional at your church, and you felt qualified to do it, how much time would you spend preparing? An hour? A day? You would likely spend as much time as necessary to appropriately prepare your heart and mind.

In the same way, we are to prepare our hearts for prayer. Ecclesiastes 5:1 in The Message reads, “Watch your step when you enter God’s house.” We are to enter into prayer with purpose and care.  

Prayer is prioritized.  “…draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.” We all know it—the uncomfortable silence that can follow after someone is asked to pray. Heads bow, yet no words are spoken. A pause likely used to prepare a heart, incline an ear to listen. Remember young Samuel in 1 Samuel 3? Eli trained him to say, “Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.” Listen first, then speak.

Prayer is premeditated. Verse 2 in The Message says, “Don’t shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think. Don’t be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear. God’s in charge, not you—the less you speak, the better.”

Sort of puts us in our place, doesn’t it? Writing out your prayers is a great way to discourage hasty and impulsive conversations with God. Many of Paul’s prayers were written out… that’s why we have record of them.

Prayer is patient, persistent, and simple.  “…therefore let your words be few.”   

This verse reminds me of the prayers I heard visiting Templo Biblico in Monte Plata, Dominican Republic, like, “Lord, thank you for healing Maria,” and, “Lord, thank you for bringing a husband to Rebekah.”

Or my granddaughter’s simple yet faith-filled prayer for her soon-to-be-born baby sister, “Thank you that the baby is safe when it comes out of Mommy’s tummy.” She thanks God in advance, fully trusting that he has things under control.

Even our Lord Jesus kept his prayer simple–what we call The Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6 is just 59 words.

Yet even with direction on how to pray, we struggle. Our propensity is to be impulsive and hasty; we tend to babble and over-complicate and carry on. So God does not leave us to our own devices as we pray. He gives us his Spirit, who prays on our behalf and turns our utterances into a sweet sound to our Lord. Isn’t God gracious to give us all we need to communicate intimately with him?

“One measure for whether or not you’re rested enough—besides falling asleep in board meetings—is to ask yourself this: How much do I care about the things I care about? When we lose concern for people, …for friendship, …when we cease to laugh when our children laugh, …or weep when our spouses weep…—when we stop caring about the things we care about—that’s a signal we’re too busy. We have let ourselves be consumed by the things that feed the ego but starve the soul.” – Mark Buchanan, The Rest of God

What is it about rest that makes some of us resist it? To push it aside, find any reason not to succumb to it, like a four-year-old asking for his third glass of water at bedtime while eyelids droop low.

We fight the need for rest, yet Sabbath is a biblical mandate. God set aside an entire day to cease from our busyness, reflect on His goodness and take stock of all He’s allowed us to accomplish. We can practice Sabbath as a day, and as an attitude. In it we find rest for our body and rest for our souls.

At ECCU, we try to be intentional about rest—right in the middle of our work. For us, that means caring for employees’ physical and spiritual well-being even in the midst of our busy work life. We do this with weekly chapel services, and the opportunity for staff to participate in a day-long refresher called Soul Care. Twice a year for the past four years, Steve Macchia and Rick Anderson of Leadership Transformations facilitate this day of reflective Bible reading, journaling, worship, and prayer for our staff.

Work is busy. Life is busy. But we can—and should—be intentional about rest. Does your ministry take time to rest, to refocus, to ensure you still care about the things you care about? Leave a comment and give our readers more ideas for how to embrace rest in the work of ministry.

The existence of evil and suffering are, without question, the most common reason people claim not to believe in God, or at least in a loving, just, and personal God. As one commentator says, “It is not merely a problem, it is the problem.” And John Stott reported, “The fact of suffering undoubtedly constitutes the single greatest challenge to the Christian faith…”

We sure see enough evil and suffering. Tornadoes, floods and fires in recent weeks alone have caused—and are still causing—untold grief and misery. And we all know someone, perhaps it’s even you, whose personal world is broken, shattered.

How we view God, especially in times of great trials and disappointment, is central to our faith and enables our endurance. It is our view of God that determines how we respond to suffering. Do we believe He is loving, just, faithful, merciful, caring, engaged, and in control?  Most importantly, does He really work all things for good?

So, how do we walk worthy when our world is broken?

1. It’s okay to cry out to the Lord.  The psalmist says in Psalm 10:1 “Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?”
2. We can still choose to trust Him. Even in the worst of suffering Job could say, “Though He slay me, yet I will hope in Him.” As her dear husband was losing his battle with cancer, my sister Ginny would whisper to him, “Remember, we are broken, God is not.”
3. Choose to believe God; He works all things for good. Genesis 50:20 says, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”

My encouragement to you today: Whatever your circumstances, fix your eyes on Him. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed (fixed) on thee.” (Isaiah 26:3 NASB)

What does it mean to “hurt” another believer? I’m not talking about hurting someone’s feelings, or even causing physical pain. 

If you look at Romans 14, specifically verse 15 (“For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love.”), you see a definition for “hurt” that means causing people to be spiritually weakened by your example. Tempting them to violate their conscience. Causing them to stumble. 

Even among Bible-believing Jesus-followers, there are distinctions in personal convictions. And, clearly, not all convictions are absolute. Some seemingly important issues are “non-essential.” In fact, it is possible that we might actually be wrong on some things that seem really important to us. This passage is not talking about vital non-negotiables of the faith (such as the virgin birth, salvation by grace through faith, or clear commands of Scripture). 

While Romans 14 speaks of close personal relationships, especially in the family and in the church, the passage also applies in a Christian workplace. So, how can we protect the convictions of fellow believers in our work environment? 

• Recognize that sincere, faithful Christians will differ on some important issues. No matter how strongly you may feel, be careful not to judge. Be as fully convinced as you can based on clear scriptural principles and wise counsel. Don’t let your emotions run away, and allow room for differing opinions. (Again, this is in regard to non-essential issues.)
• Seek to be sensitive to the convictions and feelings of one another. Even be willing to give up your right to engage in some activities that you are fully convinced are acceptable before the Lord for the sake of fellow believers. Do not let Satan use such an issue as a wedge.
• Be especially careful to set aside your Christian liberty when there is a possibility that others may choose to engage in the behavior you model, and in the process violate their own conscience. In the Bible, this applied to eating meat offered to idols. Today, we could liken this to abstaining from alcohol around those whose convictions keep them from drinking.
• Avoid asking anyone to violate his conscience. Do not ask any employee to engage in a business activity that violates a sincerely held, biblically based conviction. If a faithful volunteer believes Christian rock isn’t, well, Christian, maybe you don’t ask him to help out with your next concert. 
• Finally, recognize that there is a limit to this responsibility. We cannot modify our behavior for every conceivable situation, nor can we please everyone or avoid every potential offense.  

Have you ever laid aside your Christian liberties to protect the conscience and convictions of a fellow believer? We’d love to hear about it.