See bus, get on bus, go. For him, it was so simple - I wanted to complicate things.... I wanted to put conditions on my travel that day, I wanted to know what streets I would have to take - what directions I need to walk, but for he that was there, he knew that getting to where I had to go was a simple thing - see bus, get on bus, go.

Let me talk to you about Nehemiah that was shared in the reading. Nehemiah was a servant of the King of Persia and was no doubt a valued servant - a trusted servant. Nehemiah was also jewish and his ancestors had come from Jerusalem when the people were taken into exile three or four generations earlier. That earlier time was when the Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar stormed and partially destroyed Jerusalem and almost all the jews were taken to Babylon as slaves and servants. From that time period, we fast forward some 100 years to a time when Nehemiah, an ancestor of the first jews taken from Jerusalem asks about the partially destroyed Jerusalem and the few jews whose ancestors had avoided capture 100 years earlier and who were still living there in Jerusalem.

Well, Nehemiah hears that the few people - the small jewish remnant left in Jerusalem are having a difficult time - they are living in shame and feel greatly troubled. The gates that offer them protection are still gone. Nehemiah is moved by the plight of the poeple - moved to prayer and moved to ask for God’s leading. Nehemiah is moved enough to be open to God’s leading and recommits himself in confession to God. He opens himself up that much that when there is an opportunity to help, he seizes the opportunity.

In Nehemiah’s case, he presents his plea to the new King who Nehemiah has a close relationship - Nehemiah pleads a case for helping the people of Jerusalem and offers himself up to be sent to restore Jerusalem. Nehemiah hears the cause, places the cause before God in prayer, seizes that cause in himself and then, willingly goes.

Remember my Asian friend - his words: SEE BUS - GET ON BUS - GO. Nehemiah, when impassioned by the stirring of God’s Spirit, sees the call for him to be used in a ministry to help others. For Nehemiah, like my friend ‘T", it is so simple. An exercise:

HAMMER - nice hammer ...if I look at it, will that do any good.........NO

nice items ...if I look at it, will that do any good......NO

CANDLE or LIGHTER........if I look at it, will that do any good......NO

is look at it or read it, will that do any good......NO

jewelry item.......if all I do is look at it, will that do any good?.....NONE

THE HAMMER - to build

The Cleaners - to clean

The Candle and lighter - to give light

The Bible, to read & implement and live out

THE CROSS _ TO FOLLOW _ TO FOLLOW... YOU, people of faith - you are not meant to be looked at or to come into a church week after week and take up space - you are meant to live the faith....and no nobler purpose than to LIVE FOR GOD.

John Wesley in a revival, challenged the people whom he was preaching to with those famous words: "Do All the Good You Can, By All the Means You Can, In All the Ways You Can, In All the Places You Can, At All the Times You Can, To All the People You Can, As long as Ever ... You Can!"

Are their stirrings of God’s Spirit in your life? Has God placed a situation upon your heart - Are you living for God in all the ways you can, by all the means you can.....are you doing what God wants of you.......

We can make all the great excuses - I’m busy now - I’ve gotten older - I’ve done my bit. Say that to Moses or Mary, the mother of Jesus or Mother Theresa, or John Wesley or William Booth or Billy Graham. You know, William Booth and Billy Graham prayed the same prayer - that God would use all of who they were for God’s ministry.

Elton Trueblood, wrote The chief way you and I are disloyal to Christ is when we make small what God intended to make large. I believe - no, I know to the very depth of my being and in every fibre of my life that God is calling each of you to do something. Some of you are making small the large gifts God has in you and the call that God has placed upon your hearts.

The thing that God wants of you is in the passion you feel when you see something....... when you see a child and you want them to learn - that is God calling you to teach and support our youth......when you see the swollen bellies of people who are hungry and you wonder what can be done - that is God saying to you to do something - to help in missions. When you are stirred and wonder who can visit our older people to be a listening ear - that is God calling you to be that support....or when you think about those who have lost a loved one and you so want them to know that they are loved - that is God calling you. When you want the church to thrive and live, that is God calling you to a ministry - not to just sit there, pass in your envelope, to be assured of God’s presence, and smile and take up space - - - no, God has a place for YOU.

I want you all this week to take each morning and pray for a few moments to ask God to open yourself up to what ministry God has for you. Pray yourself to be open - pray yourself to see the simplicity of God’s call. Pray yourself to have greater courage - pray yourself for God’s direction and leading.

Nehemiah understood that God had a place for him when he opened himself up. He asked God in fervent prayer to lead him and God did. God will do the same for each of us - - for those of you wanting to be open to God now, I invite you to prayer.