God Calls, Covers, and Completes

"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus ". -Philippians 1:6

In Nehemiah Chapter Two, we find Nehemiah heavily burdened by the news he received about the city of Jerusalem, whose walls were broken down and gates burned with fire. Nehemiah, still in exile, served as a cupbearer for the Persian king. As he was serving the king with wine, the king noticed that Nehemiah was troubled at heart.

Nehemiah told the king about how the city of Jerusalem was in ruins and asked for permission to rebuild it. Not only that, but he also asked for resources to rebuild it. And the king granted his request. The king of Persia could have denied Nehemiah’s request, but instead, he granted it. All these requests were granted to Nehemiah, “because the gracious hand of my God was on me.” – Nehemiah 2:8.

God has a purpose and a mission for each one of us. Even before we realise what His missions for us are, His gracious hand is always upon us ahead of time. Just as Nehemiah, whom God called to rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem, we are also called to rebuild. Whatever it is that God has called you to rebuild – family, life, relationship, community - we can place our confidence in Him, trusting that He will provide for all that we may need, just as He provided for Nehemiah with resources to rebuild the city walls.

God’s calling on our lives always comes attached with His favour, provision, and courage, and our response to this is through faith. Nehemiah had God’s calling and favour to rebuild the city walls of Jerusalem, and he responded by faith and trusting in God. It’s through trusting in God that he was able to travel from Persia to Jerusalem to fulfil God’s will. He understood that God would watch over him, protect and provide for him throughout his mission.

Psalms 121 perfectly echo God’s protective and sustaining nature when we step out in faith to do His will. It reads, “The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” — Psalm 121:8 (NIV). This is a reminder that when we step out in faith to do God’s will, we are never alone. God always goes ahead of us, and in every step that we take, His presence watches over us.

With every great dream that God has placed in our hearts, it also attracts great challenges and opposition. As for the mission and dream that God places in our hearts, it can sometimes feel impossible or uncomfortable for us to do. Sometimes it is about the challenges we meet along the way, meant to make us give up on every good thing God has placed in our hearts. God doesn’t just give people dreams; He gives bigger dreams that would otherwise be too impossible for us to accomplish on our own, which would then create room for Him to work in such an amazing way.

In the process of doing God’s will, we often experience challenges in life – mountains – that seem impossible to overcome. Psalm 121 encourages us to consider where our help comes from and look to the Lord as our only source of help in times of trouble. He writes, “My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Nehemiah, when he was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, faced several challenges. He was ridiculed, made fun of, threatened, and deceived. However, he responded to such challenges with prayer to God for guidance and assistance.

Apostle Paul states in Acts 14:22 that, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” This was at a time when Paul faced a near-death experience when he was stoned and dragged out of the city. He was able then to get up and go back into the city. Apostle Paul uses this verse to encourage believers that when it comes to fulfilling God’s purpose, challenges will always be there. However, through these challenges, they become an opportunity for God’s glory to be witnessed.

God’s faithfulness is always evident through moments of hardship and difficulties. He ensures that His work is brought to completion. So, in your heart, you probably may be struggling with questions like: ‘How am I going to do it? Will it work? Is it really possible to accomplish what God has placed in my heart? How will people see me? What will they say when it doesn’t work?’ Sometimes we worry so much about the end product of our dreams that we forget the whole journey of becoming who God wants us to be.

Usually, it is about trusting God where you are and being faithful with what He has given you now until He moves you to the next step. Journeying with God is always one step at a time.

As God places dreams in our hearts, He initiates them by putting His gracious hand upon us. From Jeremiah, who risked everything and stepped out in faith to rebuild the city walls of Jerusalem, to David, who looked up to the heavens for God’s protection, provision and presence, and to Paul, who pressed on to do God’s will despite several challenges and near-death experiences, God remained faithful through the difficulties in ensuring that they are shielded, sustained and strengthened until His work is complete. God has a calling on your life, and whatever that call may be, you can be confident that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus ". -Philippians 1:6