A Grand Vision – One Step at a Time

Hezekiah was one of the greatest kings of Judah. “There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him” (2 Kings 18:5). What made him so great? Rather than following the example of his idol-worshiping father, Hezekiah led a national revival that lasted throughout his 29-year reign. What intrigues me about this story is what Hezekiah didn’t do. From what we can see in Scripture, he did not announce a grand, sweeping plan to return Judah to the worship of God. No “state of the union address” or inspirational vision statement. Instead, his first act as king seems rather simple. He opens and repairs the doors of the temple (2 Chron. 29:3). (His father “shut the doors of the Lord’s temple and set up altars at every street corner in Jerusalem,” 2 Chron. 28:24.) Hezekiah subsequently consecrates the temple so that it was restored for worship.  The revival then unfolds step-by-step in the next three chapters of 2 Chronicles. Leaders today often feel the pressure to pronounce a grand vision for their church or ministry. But perhaps that’s not necessary. I’m sure that Hezekiah had a general idea that Judah needed to return to God, but he probably didn’t know all that this would entail. So he took a first step, one that he knew was absolutely necessary. You may also have a broad idea of what the future should look like. You may dream of a church that reflects the age, ethnic, and economic diversity of the surrounding community. Or a much deeper commitment to Christ that is reflected in the lives of members throughout the body. Or a church that plays an integral role in transforming your city. But any of these are so big and daunting that you’re immobilized by fear and uncertainty. Does this kind of anxiety mean that the dream is wrong? Not necessarily. Instead, I think it should prompt a different question. Do you know the one or two steps that you need to take right now? These are things that clearly need to be done, like Hezekiah’s reopening of the temple. It may be that you need to infuse new energy and meaning into worship services that no longer feel worshipful. Or lead a small group of people in a deeper discipleship experience. Or build relationships with people in the community. I’m not against vision, but I am against prolonged inaction. If you are confident about the initial steps that you need to take, don’t need wait for the grand vision. Just take the first step and see where God leads. You may be surprised to look back in several years and discover that you’re well on your way to something bigger than you ever imagined. It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>