Get Out Of Your Comfy Chair

"...while I was in the citadel of Susa." (Nehemiah 1:1)

Can I just say how much I love my power recliner? It is a big, comfy chair in my family room and I am the only one who sits in it. From this chair I watch TV, use my laptop, eat, even fall asleep. It's my version of a power tool (along with my juicer). To say that it's a place of comfort is an understatement. I cannot sit in that chair 24-7, but there are days when I want to do just that. Some days I don't feel well, or I am just dog-tired. Some days I am facing a challenge that frightens me. I think Nehemiah had a day like that. He heard about the condition of Jerusalem's walls, and the people living there, and for days he sat and cried and didn't eat. Do you know the rest of the story?

The book of Nehemiah is one of my favorites for several reasons. It's about trusting God in the face of adversity, and persevering in spite of overwhelming odds. It's a story about mercy, restoration, forgiveness, joy, and the faithful and tender heart of our gracious God. And it's a story of an underdog coming out on top. When I read this book, I see Nehemiah prayed, planned, and persevered. The task before him was enormous and he faced tremendous opposition but, by God's grace, he was victorious. I never tire of reading it!

The last time I read this, I chose the NIrV, which translates "citadel" as "the safest place". This makes sense, a citadel was the safest place in a city. Before Nehemiah could meet the challenge God had assigned him, he had to choose to leave a known place of comfort and safety for the hardships and dangers of the unknown. I realize my chair cannot compare with a citadel, but it is a place of comfort. I feel most safe where I am most comfortable.

The point is, my comfort and safety cannot be found in a place, or a chair, but only in the living God. He gives me everything I need to accomplish every task He sets before me, but I still have to choose to take on the assignment...and sometimes that means I have to get out of my comfy chair.