I’m a big fan of routine. It keeps me on track, moving forward and constantly stretching for my goals while seeking God in the process.
But sometimes my daily routine gets a little bit too… routine.
You know what I’m talking about. Those days where you get out of bed and while you KNOW you should be thankful to have another opportunity to experience life on this earth, but instead you really feel kinda meh. Blah. Gah.
Whatever nonsense word you want to use, you are feeling it.
Just like it says in the movie Office Space: “Somebody has a case of the Mondays.”
Although my “Mondays” can strike any day of the week.
Not everyday is exactly the same, but for the sake of our sanity (and household functionality), our family MUST have some semblance of routine. But occasionally the routine of “Wake up, get dressed, dress baby, quiet time, feed baby, feed self, do dishes, put supper in the crock pot, do assigned weekly chore, put baby down to nap, try to blogorcatchuponimportantmommystuff, baby wakes up, change baby, etc, etc” makes me a bit weary.
Sometimes I can’t help but wonder… Does my work REALLY matter?
That’s when I need a sweet little reminder from this Hidden Ah-Ha of the Bible:
“I am doing a great work. I cannot come down.”
~Nehemiah 6:3 NIV
Here’s a little background on this verse to really make it hit home. Nehemiah is nearing the completion of the wall that God has instructed him to rebuild. His enemies (naturally) don’t want him to complete it. In fact, they want him dead. (Yikes.) But Nehemiah is well guarded, so they can’t just attack and take him out. Instead, they try to distract and lure him down from the top of the wall.
But Nehemiah replies with this practical and Godly come back: “I am doing a great work. I cannot come down.”
Touche, Nehemiah. And he’s right. Although building the wall seems somewhat routine and very labor-intensive, he was called to do this work by God. And anytime we are called to do something for God, it is far from insignificant or routine.
Nehemiah kept at this wall-building for 52 straight days. Amidst distraction, exhaustion, and threats from his enemies, he persevered. Why? Because he WAS doing a great work. A work from God, not just to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, but to restore the people of Israel.
Think about your own life and what God has called you to do. Although it might look routine on the surface, it’s a great work for the Lord. And we cannot come down. Consider…
Every diaper changed… We are doing a great work and can’t come down.
Every crockpot meal prepared… We are doing a great work and can’t come down.
Every email sent for work… We are doing a great work and can’t come down.
Every budget updated… We are doing a great work and can’t come down.
Every grocery trip made… We are doing a great work and can’t come down.
Every sinkful of dishes washed… We are doing a great work and can’t come down.
Every pair of socks matched… We are doing a great work and can’t come down.
Every blog post published… We are doing a great work and can’t come down.
Every yard mowed… We are doing a great work and can’t come down.
Every nose wiped and tear dried… We are doing a great work and can’t come down.
Every encouraging word said to a stranger… We are doing a great work and can’t come down.
Every prayer prayed… We are doing a great work and can’t come down.
Yes, my friends. We are ALL doing a great work. And we cannot come down.
Do work,
SGK
“And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?” Nehemiah 6:3 KJV
PS: What great work have you been called to do today? Let’s encourage each other… Leave a comment below!
Thanks Lizzy Lee via Flickr for this great pic!
