The Old Testament book of Nehemiah tells of a monumental success in the days of Israel—the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem in only 52 days. It is such an exciting and satisfying event to read from chapter 2 through chapter 6. I’d like to take that account and paraphrase it to denote how a monumental success was accomplished at Palm Beach Lakes last Friday night. Like Nehemiah, we see the deplorable condition of our city, except this is a spiritual condition, and the people are in need of God’s care, protection and salvation.
“O Lord, we pray, please let Your servants prosper this day…We ask that you use us to reach out to the lost in this city” (1:11; 2:5). We said to each other, “Come and let us label a gospel mailing… Let us rise up and label.” Then we set our hands to this good work (2:18). “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and label” (2:20).
“Then Glen the great leader rose up with his brethren at PBL and labeled the House to House/Heart to Heart: they set it out and placed the labels…Next to him Lance labored. And next to him the Thomas house labeled. Next to them the Roff house labeled. Next to them the Nelson house labeled; they laid out the pieces and affixed the labels” (3:1-3). “Next to them the Moses house, next to them the McLeod house, next to them the Thorpe house, next to them the Archer house” (3:4-8). “Next to them Jerry, one of the shepherds, labeled with his house” (3:9). “Next to them the Summerlot house labeled. Next to them the Puckett house, and next to them the McQuinn house; they laid out the pieces and affixed the labels” (3:10-14). “Next to them Joe, one of the shepherds, labeled with his house” (3:15). “Next to them the Reeves house labeled, and next to them Darlene, and next to her Janet, and next to her Tammy, and next to her Ivan; they laid out the pieces and affixed the labels” (3:16-18). “Next to them Dan, one of the shepherds, labeled with his house” (3:19).
“So we labeled the gospel mailing and the entire job was joined together, for the people had a mind to work” (4:6). “Remember us, our God, for good…strengthen our hands” (5:19; 6:9).
“So the labeling of the gospel mailing was finished in the twenty-first hour of the day, in only four hours. And it happened, when all our brethren heard of it, that they were very heartened, for they perceived that this work was done by our God” (6:15-16).
“Remember, O God, those who receive this mailing!”