245 Mules

Their horses were 736, their mules 245, Nehemiah 7:68

June 20, 2022

In my annual reading through the Bible, I was attracted to the record of 245 mules, among other specific items necessary for Jewish exiles returning to Jerusalem. I reflected on the fact that all Scripture is God-breathed and profitable (2 Tim. 3:16). Obviously, 245 mules and 736 horses don’t communicate the same theological importance as John 3:16. However, the 245 mules were a necessary part of the transportation system to carry out the “build back better” plan for Jerusalem. Actually, mules were high class transportation at that time. God was reestablishing Israel in their strategic place as the priest nation. A dim light maybe, but nevertheless a gospel witness in a spiritually dark world. Contrary to common thought, the devil is not in the details. God is. We live with the details of life, but do we stop to think of what they tell us about God and ourselves. For example, “the very hairs of our heads are numbered” (Matt. 10:30; Lk. 12:7). The truth of the matter is that God is sovereign over the smallest details of our lives. So, don’t be afraid. The next time you see one of your hairs in the bathroom sink, remember “God’s got this,” whatever “this”is. We are valuable to Him. When the lid on a bottle is too tight, God wants me to be patient, and not have a fit. When your favorite cereal is not on the shelf because of supply chain problems, what does God want to teach you in that inconvenience? Thank Him for the abundance we have in our grocery stores. Did that voicemail you failed to listen to create an inconvenient change of plans? Would you like to transform the details of life and move your thoughts toward biblical truth? It probably won’t be 245 mules available at rent-a-mule, but God can turn disappointments into appointments with Him. H

A time to pray: “O Sovereign Lord, please work on my brain cells so that I can pay better attention to your invisible hand in everything.”