Nehemiah was doing well in his high position in the court of a Persian king, then he heard bad news from Jerusalem, 900 miles away. Their problem wasn't his problem. Until God burdens his heart. When's the last time your heart broke for the things that break God's great heart?
There are always preachers and big-time evangelists who pack stadiums and preach Jesus to the masses. But most people come to Christ through the everyday witness of someone they know personally. A Christian friend who is real and unembarrassed. Somebody like you.
People are focused on Israel and this war the world can see, a flesh-and-blood fight. But believers know the brutal reality of another war, far greater, a fight in the realm of things you can't see. We're in a war for souls. And souls are worth the fight.
Ask a farmer to tell you about harvest time. You need workers. It's an enormous amount of work and a short amount of time. Jesus says our mission is like a great harvest, only there's nearly nobody who wants to work. Pray for more workers. Then let's get to work.
How does an ordinary church like ours even start to impact the world for Christ? Start at home. Start on your knees.
The shortest verse in the Bible is "Jesus wept." Beside the grave of his friend, Jesus weeps because he's human. He weeps because he's God. And of all the sad and broken hearts, it turns out God's own heart is the biggest most broken of all.
The whole nighttime excursion was Jesus' idea, and when the storm comes, the disciples find him asleep in the boat. "Jesus , don't you care?" they shout. He sleeps, not because he is unconcerned but because he's unafraid. You don't have to be afraid either.