What IS isn't what SHOULD BE

I LOVE the book of Nehemiah. There is so much leadership knowledge and life knowledge in this book. And I've just begun to read it again, with my student leadership team, and in reading that, I found some things that I really want to share... Feel free to leave comments if you wish...

The first 2 chapters we see in the heart and soul of Nehemiah, the simple cupbearer for King Artaxerxes. But, we see much more than a cupbearer. We see someone that is full of passion, hurt, pain, but more than that... someone that is filled with REALIZATION...

Nehemiah saw the realization of something that most could not see. He saw past was IS, and into what SHOULD BE! Jerusalem was messed up... it was burnt, torn down, and demolished. Most people were looking at Jerusalem saying "wow, I wish this didn't look like this. I wish someone would clean it up..." but no one was willing to do so. No one was willing to get into the city, get their hands dirty and make a difference. But Nehemiah, wasn't just looking at the smoldering remnants of the gates. He wasn't just smelling the stinch of smoke. He wasn't just hearing the cracking bricks continuing to fall because of their weakness... No. What Nehemiah noticed was the gates sparkling with "Welcome To Jerusalem" messages on them. He was smelling the sweet aroma of fruits and perfumes being sold. He was hearing the laughter of children, and the discussions of old men and women talking about the dynamic past of the city. He looked past what IS, and looked into what SHOULD BE!

Nehemiah had the realization that a city that SHOULD BE prominent, fruitful, dynamic IS burnt and destroyed... yet, he couldn't wrap his mind around the thought that it was the end for Jerusalem. He couldn't accept the fact that what IS, is what SHOULD BE! The more he spent time with the Lord, his heart grew more and more discontent with what IS, and more and more intrigued with what SHOULD BE! His passion, desire, hurt, and realization grew greater and greater. And it got to a point, that King Artaxerxes even realized it. As he was taking the wine up, Nehemiah was trying to hide the realization from his actions, but the king noticed it. To make the story short... because of Nehemiah's passion for the realization, the king sowed a seed of finances, time, and provision for the vision of Nehemiah... Where there is VISION there will be PROvision!

This week, I begin a Sunday night series about this generation specifically for adults. And it's no coincidence in God's timing that I am reading Nehemiah at this time. The more I read, the more discontent I get with what IS. The more I research the more I realize what IS isn't what SHOULD BE! The more I study, the more I understand, that SOMEONE has to take a stand, somewhere at some time! The problem is, just like in Nehemiah's time we see people looking at the church, this generation, and ministry, and everyone is saying "wow, I wish it didn't have to be like this. I wish it could be cleaned up..." yet not many are willing to get dirty...

Ministry is dirty, God is dirty, life is dirty, love is dirty... it's all dirty because dirty people need to be clean. We are living in the most influential, technology driven, and loving generation to walk the face of the earth, but they are walking without a destination. We can look at this generation and see the walls, gates, houses, and plants that previous generation have burned, destroyed and left to be cleaned up. We can see the ashes of the gates of what they hear and see continuing to burn with no regard of what comes in or goes out. We can smell the stinch of smoke from the lifestyles that are loved and accepted. We can hear the cracking of walls from the lack of love and appreciation in their lives. But, here's the charge... LET'S REBUILD!

See, I'm leading the charge. I've been a cupbearer for my king, and will continue to simply serve my king (Jesus) for my entire life... and He has seen mine, and some others, sadness, hurt, pain, frustration, and realization of what IS. But, something is happening to me more now than ever... I don't see what IS anymore, I refuse to... I see what SHOULD BE! Just as Nehemiah in the latter parts of chapter 2, I won't reveal my entire heart, purpose, and plan to many because of the power that places in your hands. I will give no one the opportunity to wreck my dream/vision again... but as we will look later in chapter 3 and forward, we will ALL work TOGETHER to rebuild the city to what it SHOULD BE!

But, you know what that means? Getting dirty. We can't jump and act surprised every time one of those ashy pieces breaks off of it's burnt host, and a cuss word slips out. We can't be upset every time we smell the smoke of their environment seep out. We were all dirty once, but we've become so "clean" that we forget what it's like to go from dirty to clean. It's a process. A process that I believe in enough, to invest my life to this generation of young people, to help rebuild what IS, and allow God to make it what SHOULD BE... will you join me?

(Undone220 leadership- this is our charge. To bring in the dirty, and let God make them clean, by using us to love them, and hold them accountable.)