WELCOME to our first ever ZOOM Kitchen Class! We wanted to find a way to stay as connected as possible during this challenging time so decided that we will try to connect via ZOOM. Thanks so much for joining us!
Question of the day: What are some of the things you are doing that bring you joy in this time of social distancing?
I have wondered if we need to change the format of the class to better work as a Zoom class, but I honestly don't know how. So for today, we will just move forward as we do each week. We will still read the passage, then discuss it. We will see how it all works and then evaluate and make changes as necessary next week.
Having said that, this weeks lesson is on Nehemiah 7. As I have been doing my study for this class I have found that most people who write about this book skip this chapter all together. It is often just skipped over as the chapter that isn't relavent. I almost decided to do the same, but then.... then I was struck by a couple things that I think make this extremely important for us to look at and digest.
READ: Nehemiah 7: 1-7
7 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed. 2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do. 3 I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.”
The List of the Exiles Who Returned
4 Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. 5 So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there:
6 These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, 7 in company with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah):
We will stop short of reading all the other names right now.
So the wall is finished. The first thing Nehemiah does is what?
He makes sure there are people in charge.
Starting with the gatekeepers.
Growing up in Ethiopia we had gatekeepers. There was a man who also took care of some of the yard work etc. but his main job was to manage the gates. He would lock and unlock them, make sure people didn't come in unless they were invited etc. I remember thinking it was an unnecessary job when we first arrived, after all we didn't even have a gate or walls around our home in the US so this whole thing was very foreign. The gatekeeper, was a guard of sorts who opened and shut the gate each day adding to the security of the city. I couldn't help but think of what we are all going through right now. I have heard people say we need to keep the doors of the church open, and we need to not bow to the governmental restrictions but to still worship!
It made me wonder if Nehemiah got flack for not opening the gates at Sundrise as was the custom. He was taking extra percausions to keep the city safe... hmmm
Perhaps there are times when percaution is called for even when it is unpopular?
Who did he put incharge?
What wisdom was there in choosing those that he knew?
There is reason to be careful in choosing leadership. Choosing our leaders is not a time for just making others feel better but finding people that we trust and people that we know will do a good job.
What were the stated reasons for choosing Hananiah the commander of the citadel?
What are the strengths gained by having someone with these qualities in a leadership position?
If you are a leader how important are these skills?
Do we see our relationship with God as the most important part of our job?
Seriously, when we make out our schedules, and list all the things we need to get done, and when the schedule becomes more and more full, do we see at the top of the list, the things that strengthen our relationship with God?
Verse 5: "So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families."
I will admit in working on this lesson I have spent way too much time thinking and wondering why this task was so important. What do we learn from the lists of people, what was the point. The conclusion I came to was this... I have no idea! Seriously that is a lesson for another teacher to teach! What I did finally see was this...
"So my God put it into my heart..."
This week when the conference told us to go home and work from home as much as possible, and that all events are cancelled, and so on... I had to start brainstorming. "BRAINSTORMING" What a terrible word when you read, "...so my God put into my heart..." There is no "BRAINSTORMING" just God putting things on my heart!
What are some differences between brainstorming and God putting it into my heart?
I am not saying brainstorming can't be a way.... but this hit me as a different way.
If I believe, as leaders, God will put something in my heart then how do I go about figuring that out?
I'm not sure it looks like A STORM in my BRAIN.
When God puts something on our hearts, what do we do with that?
Does that mean we must MAKE it happen?
Has God ever put something on your heart but you just held it there instead of moving forward with it?
Here is where most would write a nice little list or check list of how we know it is something God has put on our hearts and the steps we take, but I'm not much for lists this week.
What do you think?
How do you know God put it on your heart?
How do we trust that?
Is it possible we could misunderstand?
What do we do with that?
I know we would all love to have the check list!
We would love to read a book that tells us exaclty how to know it is God and then how to proceed, but I don't think there is any human on the face of the earth who can write about this in a way that covers the infinite variences in our individual relationships with God, and circumstances of what he puts on our hearts!
So with that, is there really no take away here?
There are a couple huge takeaway for me!
1. As a leader I must make sure that I value and designate time with God. There is no substitue! I don't have little ones demanding my time, I actually can make it a priority, a consistant part of my life, and I have, but now I see it as part of my job! (If you have little ones demanding your time, don't misunderstand... it may be that He is also saying to you, that if you are going to lead your children, etc. that this also must be a priority as important or more important than making meals for the kids!)
2. If I find myself with a STORM in my brain, STOP! Spend sometime in prayer, quiet my mind, ask for Him to put on my heart what He wants me to do! What He wants for my department, for my home, what He is needing me to do. Then continue working on ideas, but only after He has quieted the storm.
The one thing I do want to say in closing about this chapter is, though I don't know exactly why God put on Nehemiah's heart to account for everyone, I do know that it is vitally important not to let people fall through the cracks and be unaccounted for!
Especially right now, make sure you are being intentional about reaching out to those around you! Make sure that your neighbors are doing well, have conversations with friends and family. Make sure all are accounted for! This week Beth Anderson called just to check in and say hello. It was such a bright spot! It was such a blessing to be connected over the phonelines. PLEASE reach out and make sure we are still connected as a family!
I know many of you have heard and are listening to this song already, but incase you havent heard it or maybe you are like me and you just need to hear it multiple times a day, here is a song that has meant so much to me this week. I know that not only are we in this challenging time, missing church and one another, but also that means we are missing out on Ryan, each sabbath raising his arms and blessing us... so here is a BLESSING for each of you!
Happy Sabbath Kitchen Class!
I look forward to our time together each week!
If you are a leader how important are these skills?
Do we see our relationship with God as the most important part of our job?
Seriously, when we make out our schedules, and list all the things we need to get done, and when the schedule becomes more and more full, do we see at the top of the list, the things that strengthen our relationship with God?
Verse 5: "So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families."
I will admit in working on this lesson I have spent way too much time thinking and wondering why this task was so important. What do we learn from the lists of people, what was the point. The conclusion I came to was this... I have no idea! Seriously that is a lesson for another teacher to teach! What I did finally see was this...
"So my God put it into my heart..."
This week when the conference told us to go home and work from home as much as possible, and that all events are cancelled, and so on... I had to start brainstorming. "BRAINSTORMING" What a terrible word when you read, "...so my God put into my heart..." There is no "BRAINSTORMING" just God putting things on my heart!
What are some differences between brainstorming and God putting it into my heart?
I am not saying brainstorming can't be a way.... but this hit me as a different way.
If I believe, as leaders, God will put something in my heart then how do I go about figuring that out?
I'm not sure it looks like A STORM in my BRAIN.
When God puts something on our hearts, what do we do with that?
Does that mean we must MAKE it happen?
Has God ever put something on your heart but you just held it there instead of moving forward with it?
Here is where most would write a nice little list or check list of how we know it is something God has put on our hearts and the steps we take, but I'm not much for lists this week.
What do you think?
How do you know God put it on your heart?
How do we trust that?
Is it possible we could misunderstand?
What do we do with that?
I know we would all love to have the check list!
We would love to read a book that tells us exaclty how to know it is God and then how to proceed, but I don't think there is any human on the face of the earth who can write about this in a way that covers the infinite variences in our individual relationships with God, and circumstances of what he puts on our hearts!
So with that, is there really no take away here?
There are a couple huge takeaway for me!
1. As a leader I must make sure that I value and designate time with God. There is no substitue! I don't have little ones demanding my time, I actually can make it a priority, a consistant part of my life, and I have, but now I see it as part of my job! (If you have little ones demanding your time, don't misunderstand... it may be that He is also saying to you, that if you are going to lead your children, etc. that this also must be a priority as important or more important than making meals for the kids!)
2. If I find myself with a STORM in my brain, STOP! Spend sometime in prayer, quiet my mind, ask for Him to put on my heart what He wants me to do! What He wants for my department, for my home, what He is needing me to do. Then continue working on ideas, but only after He has quieted the storm.
The one thing I do want to say in closing about this chapter is, though I don't know exactly why God put on Nehemiah's heart to account for everyone, I do know that it is vitally important not to let people fall through the cracks and be unaccounted for!
Especially right now, make sure you are being intentional about reaching out to those around you! Make sure that your neighbors are doing well, have conversations with friends and family. Make sure all are accounted for! This week Beth Anderson called just to check in and say hello. It was such a bright spot! It was such a blessing to be connected over the phonelines. PLEASE reach out and make sure we are still connected as a family!
I know many of you have heard and are listening to this song already, but incase you havent heard it or maybe you are like me and you just need to hear it multiple times a day, here is a song that has meant so much to me this week. I know that not only are we in this challenging time, missing church and one another, but also that means we are missing out on Ryan, each sabbath raising his arms and blessing us... so here is a BLESSING for each of you!
Happy Sabbath Kitchen Class!
I look forward to our time together each week!
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