This week Eastmont began a 40-day emphasis to Refresh and Renew our hearts before the LORD in anticipation of the
building program ahead. For 40 days we’ve been challenged to read a devotional guide through the book of Nehemiah.
At the start, we see God’s people being allowed to return home to Jerusalem after more than 70 years in exile. God, in
His sovereignty, raised up a leader, Cyrus of Persia, who overthrew Babylon and granted for the Israelites to return to
their homeland. You and I might expect that they were overjoyed to return to Jerusalem, but have we considered all the
challenges this opportunity presented?
The only people with first-hand memories of Jerusalem would have been well over 70 years of age. Many of those young,
healthy enough to endure relocating their lives and families had likely grown comfortable adapting to Babylonian culture,
speaking other languages, etc. Jerusalem had been largely abandoned for decades. Spiritual complacency would certainly
have been an unspoken enemy of their return. Would you or I have been willing to leave what was comfortable to be
where the LORD was calling us to be?
In similar ways, this is what is being asked of Eastmont! Each of us must consider our spiritual status and comforts. Has
complacency become an enemy for us? Do we desire more of Jesus in our life? Are we willing to follow God’s leadership
into new ventures?
As I wrestle with these questions, I am reminded that we serve a risen, living Savior. Our God is unchanging, yet His Spirit
is active in this world and in His Church. When God moves, we must follow. Following Christ is an active, daily pursuit
leaving no room for spiritual complacency. Complacency in our lives ultimately reveals a lack of passion for Christ and a
love for ourselves over a love for Christ and His Kingdom.
God is moving through His people at Eastmont. He has a plan to use this church and its facilities to glorify His name in
Montgomery and the River Region for future generations. But before we reach future generations, our current generation
must accept the call to lay aside any complacency in our hearts. We must pray for hearts marked by passion for Christ and
His gospel. I pray that these 40 days will be a catalyst in making Christ famous in our families, our church, and our
communities. Passion for Christ is the enemy of complacency. God is moving, and we will follow Him.