El Estero Presbyterian Church

February 2025

The Task of Rebuilding - Dr. Wayne Shen

Nehemiah was a Jew living in the capital of Persia. When he inquired about the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem, he was told that they were “in great distress and reproach, that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down.” This caused him great distress and he was determined to rebuild the walls, relying upon God’s power to do it. His first hurdle was to get the King’s permission. He prayed to God that He might give the King a compassionate heart. His prayer focused on God’s greatness, holiness, faithfulness and power to intervene. He inspired the Jews to work hard, utilizing their God given talents. They were met with intense criticism and opposition. But Nehemiah and the people of God remained steadfast, immovable and persisted in the difficult task God had called them to.

        In some ways our church is in great distress and reproach. If the situation has caused you to be Distressed and you are Determined to do something about it and willing to Depend upon God’s power to do it, God has called you to help rebuild the family of God at El Estero. Let us fervently pray that God will give the presbytery a compassionate heart to allow us a grace period to work on rebuilding. Let us ignore any criticism or opposition and be steadfast and immovable. Someone has said, “If you want to avoid criticism, all you have to do is do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.” Let us not tear down but build up one another. Let us keep doing what God has called us to do.

        “The wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month of Elul, in fifty-two days. … This work had been accomplished with the help of our God.” (Nehemiah 6:15-16)

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January 2025

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Thoughts of a New Year - Dr. Wayne Shen

      When we are celebrating a New Year with family or friends, we often ask each other: What were the best events or memories of 2024? What are your goals for 2025? However, when we are alone contemplating, thoughts of struggles of the past year create anxiety over the unknown of another year.

        In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul encourages us with: “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on.” Whether 2024 was a great year or a very difficult year, we need to leave that behind us and simply press on. We leave behind us past guilt, past grief, past grudges, and past glories. We press on.

        In James 4, James relates the story of a man who made great plans for the new year, but his plans did not pan out. In his planning, he left God out, when God is the only one who knows the future and holds the future in His hands. Knowing this, we still make plans but say “Deo Volente”, meaning “God willing”.

        To be honest, El Estero is facing a challenging new year with no pastor; people who have left in anger, discouragement, frustration, hurt, or fear; and uncertainty of what the Presbytery’s intentions are for the church. But the church is not the building or the finances, it is the people of God. And with the Lord Jesus as our shepherd, we will not be in want. He will lead us to green pastures and give us peace beside the still waters. He will restore our soul. Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we shall fear no evil, for Jesus is with us. And if He is with us, who can be against us? Let us be family to one another, forgive one another, accept one another, encourage one another, and pray for one another. We will “press on”, Deo Volente.

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from Dr. Wayne Shen