What do birthing and building have in common? If you thought to yourself PAIN- FEAR- & SLEEPLESS NIGHTS… I hear you! They are also both the beginnings of something new, full of hope and wonder.
I keep reading, hearing, dreaming, and seeing signs of things to come with these two themes, “it’s time to birth and it’s time to build.” I accidentally bought a nursing bra last week and rolled my eyes and thought to myself, “this is what happens when I’m in a hurry.” However, I immediately had another thought, heard a softer whisper saying, “it was no accident.” For the record, I’m not pregnant and don’t intend to be, but there is a lot stirring in my womb that I think God is trying to coach me through. That being said, I think there is a lot in the wombs, on the hearts, and in the minds of others to do and I believe God is saying “it’s time.”
I was reading in Ezra and say that, “everyone whose spirit God had roused-prepared went up to rebuild” (Ezra 1:5). I’ve also been in Joshua, where the whole book is about getting strategy to move into what’s ours to take. God exposes, God speaks, and God gives His people direction. We get to co-operate with Him. Listen, occupy, build, bless, enjoy. All that is really hard work by the way, it’s probably why God has to continually tell his people, “Do not yield to fear nor shrink back because of past failure, be strong, and so on..” (Joshua 8:1 TPT) because birthing and building can be tiresome, wearisome, and scary sometimes.
Thankfully God rouses the spirit in others to go with, to help, to support, and to cheer. That might be one of the kindest things He does for us, to bring others right next to us so that when our hands get tired, we have someone to lift them up. “When Moses hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands…” (Exodus 17). They help us see, “then Elisha prayed, Oh Lord open his eyes so that he may truly see…” (2 Kings 6). They encourage us in our call, “then Elizabeth exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women and your child (what you are birthing) will be blessed” (Luke 1:40). They hold us accountable, “who knows, maybe you have come into your God given position for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).
God is adding to us this season, generously wanting to give to us, so if you’re one that’s being “subtracted” from in any way, I’d ask the Lord about what’s going on with that. He’s taking the things that are in our hands and producing something more. What first looked like a stick that Moses could lean on became an agent of change for a nation to lean into. (Exodus 4:2). Sticks can only do so much though, they need brave builders to get ahold of them and warriors to use them. People need what’s inside of you, so birth the thing, build with guts, and lead as you are, we will all be grateful.
I pray that whatever this season holds for you, you are holding tightly onto God and the people He’s put next to you.
On my way, DeAnn C