May 9
First Step, Diagnosis
And I went out by night . . . and viewed the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were burned with fire (Nehemiah 2:13, New King James Version).
Scripture: Nehemiah 2:11-16
Song: “My Soul Follows Hard After Thee”
My youngest son has an impressive orthopedic history. Before he reached high school, he broke bones in a foot, a thigh, an arm (a couple of times) and his other elbow—twice. In all those trips to the emergency room and follow-up visits to the Orthopedic and Facture Clinic, I learned the importance of X-rays.
Always the first step in treating my son involved taking an X-ray. Then the doctor would slide the large film into the clips and turn on the light box behind it. “Here is the fracture,” he’d say, pointing with a pen to the jagged edges of some misshapen bone. It wasn’t difficult to accept his diagnosis, seeing it pictured in stark black and white, and I had no trouble agreeing to the treatment plan.
Nehemiah recognized the importance of diagnosis as a first step and took a donkey ride by moonlight to survey the damage to Jerusalem’s wall. It’s a good strategy for tackling any problem. Take time to gain a good understanding of what’s amiss before proceeding to fix it.
Lord, help me pause when troubles surface. Help me move into quietness that I might ask Your expert advice—and then spend plenty of time listening for Your still, small voice of guidance. May I always trust Your plan for overcoming any obstacles in my journey with You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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