Editor’s note: Beginning in April, we invite and encourage the Loma Linda University Health community to pray and fast together each Tuesday, asking for God’s guidance and wisdom as we continue to build and grow.
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“Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the leaders and the people and said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious…’” Nehemiah 4:14 NLT
You and I live in a world that is overworked and over scheduled, which leaves us feeling OVERWHELMED. We do way too much and take care of ourselves way too little. As the saying goes, “We red line our way through life.”
It comes as no surprise that this state of affairs leaves us with little mental, physical or emotional reserves to rally when we are confronted with the normal challenges in life. The fewer reserves we have on hand, the greater difficulties loom before us. We are anxious. We are afraid. We view our “enemies” from the vista of our capabilities and feel defeated before we begin!
And therein lies our problem. It is a problem of focus and perspective. Nehemiah already faced a seemingly insurmountable task of rebuilding Jerusalem and its walls. That was enough to make any heart faint! Yet the task was infinitely and exponentially exacerbated by the presence of enemies whose purpose was to prevent Nehemiah’s success by any means possible.
The Israelites were demoralized and afraid. They looked at themselves and their resources, and they only saw imminent defeat and failure. Their current situation blocked from their memory the One who had given them this assignment and who had been leading them thus far.
Nehemiah saw things from a totally different perspective. He looked to God and through God! When he looked to God, he saw that he had all of the resources of the universe at his disposal. When he looked through God’s eyes, he saw that no thing and no one could stand in his way or block his success. It’s a matter of perspective.
Raising vast quantities of money? Building new hospitals and new buildings? From God’s perspective — NO PROBLEM. Integrating Loma Linda University Health and all of its varying entities, programs, hospitals and clinics, classrooms and schools with one vision and mission? From God’s perspective — NO SOONER SAID THAN DONE. We are assured success and victory if we will only do one thing — “Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious.” In the future when you feel overscheduled, overworked or overwhelmed, consider who God has been and can be in your life.
When we look to the Lord for wisdom, guidance and resources…
When we look to each other for prayer, support and encouragement…
We can overcome anything. Nehemiah assures us that it is guaranteed as long as we remember the Lord.
Terry Swenson, DMin
Campus chaplain
Loma Linda University