Nehemiah's prayer

Nehemiah’s Prayer

“So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.” (Nehemiah 1:4)

   Nehemiah was a Jew living in captivity in Persia. We don’t know his early life story but we do know that he was the cupbearer to the King of Persia so he had a good life in the palace of the king and was someone whom you could say had arrived at a place of importance and luxury. (Something you can actually say for almost anyone living in 21^st century United States who has a job and a place to live.) But God called upon him to leave his life of ease and to go to Jerusalem and help to rebuild the wall that had been torn down and to help the High Priest, Ezra, there. His prayer in chapter one of the book named for him is one of 10 times in thirteen chapters that he goes to God in prayer.

“ And I said:  ‘I pray, LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God. You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night for the children of Israel, Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations: but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from the there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling place for My name.’ Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand. O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.’ For I was the king’s cupbearer.” (Nehemiah 1: 5-11)

  Since May third was a national day of prayer I couldn’t help but think or how appropriate much of this prayer is applicable to our country today! We are a nation who has sinned against God and has not obeyed His commandments! Although everyone is not a Christian, we are nation that was founded on Christian principles by men and women who had a desire to be obedient to the teachings of the Christian faith in our government, in our communities, and in our families. But just like the Israelites, we have turned away from God and have not been obedient to God’s laws and precepts.

    It is time to start with ourselves individually and as families and churches to return to God; to seek His forgiveness and to follow His leading in all aspects of our lives.

     “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

PRAY:

1.     Lord forgive me of my sins (list them) and forgive my family and church for not being the salt and light You have called us to be in our community.

2.     Help me today to spend time with You in prayer and in the reading of Your Scripture so that You can direct my paths aright.

3.     Help me and all those who call Your Lord, to be quick to obey all that You have commanded of us for our own good.

4.     Thank You for loving us so, and allowing us to be Your children now, and for eternity.