By Sue Brage
“For who are you, O great mountain [of human obstacles]? Before Zerubbabel… [who with Joshua had led the return of the exiles from Babylon and was undertaking the rebuilding of the temple, before him]…you shall become a plain [a mere molehill]! And he shall bring forth the finishing gable stone [of the new temple] with loud shoutings of the people, crying, Grace, grace to it!” Zechariah 4:7
Are you facing a mountain today? Perhaps more than one? Mountains of paperwork, papers to grade, dishes to do, bills to pay, or laundry to fold? Maybe you are confronting a larger problem in your life…a serious loss, financial stress, or health issues. Maybe you view homeschooling itself as a monumental task, which you are not qualified to complete. Whatever obstacles you are dealing with, the answer is the same: “Grace, grace to it!”
What do I mean by that? Well, as the Israelites were attempting to rebuild the Temple, they found themselves battling fierce obstacles of opposition, fear, and fatigue.Yet, they kept their eyes on their objective, and called upon God’s grace to see them through.
What a lesson for us! We all face obstacles in life. Some related to homeschooling, some not—yet each one affects our ability to educate and relate to our kids effectively.
Mountains have a way of popping up unexpectedly and ruining our moods. They steal our joy and energy, and block our view. It’s tempting to sit down at the foot of our mountain and give up.
That is when we must “speak to that mountain” as Jesus taught in Matthew 21. Speak peace and grace to it. Believe that God is for you and that you can and will defeat whatever problems you are facing.
I heard a saying once that I thought was worth remembering: “Jesus told us to speak to our mountain—not about our mountain.” How true. When we focus on and talk about our problems, we are actually magnifying them—not God’s ability to bring us through. We must keep a positive, faith-filled attitude or our mountain will get the best of us.
I challenge you today, look at your mountain and speak grace to it. Speak grace to your struggles, your health, your children, your needs…whatever your mountain represents. Ask God to release His power and ability into that situation…and to turn that mountain into a molehill right before your eyes!
Prayer: “Lord, release your grace and ability into this situation that feels like an insurmountable mountain in my life. Grant me success in this area. Give me strength to keep going with a firm, consistent attitude. Above all remind me to speak grace, grace to it—in Jesus’ name, amen.”
A homeschooler for over 15 years, Sue Brage is known as “The Homeschool Encourager.” She speaks and writes to hundreds of homeschoolers and currently writes a weekly email devotional called Weekly Word. She is also a full-time writer for an international ministry in the Denver area. To receive your free e- devotional, or for more information about her ministry, please visit her website, www.homeschool-encourager.com.
*All Scripture quoted from the Amplified Bible unless otherwise noted.
*All material copyrighted by Weekly Word/Sue Brage 2004